Paranoid Doll: Renunciation
by Sydney Grise
Summary: Two days. Two days then war breaks out. Two days and everything is thrown out of balance. While others assemble, will the purple-haired gentleman make it in time to save the one dearest to him before it's too late? Chap. 6 Up.
1. EINS: Assignments

**Paranoid Doll: Renunciation**

_Disclaimer: I don't own Vocaloid, just the story._

_A/N: Well, this is version two. The differences are drastic compared to version one. I better leave the rant for later. Here goes._

_EDIT: I made a typo with the picture describing Luka. Well, now that's fixed. Off to ready the update._

**EINS: Assignments**

**TYPE ZERO**

**STATUS: ACTIVE**

**PROGRAM START-UP**

**PROJECT ROSE CROSS. ver. 2.2**

The screen flashed in the middle of the dark, letters forming from the blank space. The slight whir from the machinery filled the air as the programs took its course.

**FILE BANK...OK**

**PERSONA SCRIPT...OK**

**PARADIGM SET...OK**

**PHYSICS-CHEMISTRY BASE...OK**

**VESSEL-MIND INTERFACE...OK**

**SYSTEM ALL GREEN**

Faint lights began to shimmer in the dark, all of lining the various cords and wires scattered in the room. As all of these shimmered, it began to converge to one location in the room...a metallic cask. Hidden in the darkness, a pair of eyes watched how all of this progressed.

"Everything is good to go, Doctor," the voice said in the shadows.

"Good," the 'Doctor' answered with a cold voice. "Let's proceed to the next phase of the project, now that the models are ready.

* * *

_"Don't forget..."_

The cold air surrounded everything around the place. It was the constant element that seemed familiar, as everything else was foreign.

_"Don't forget how the wind sounds like during the first fall of snow."_

Staring at a blank space, the youth stood before the broken remains of what was the concrete wall of a high-rise building. The cold embrace of the winter wind on his skin felt different somehow. Despite the warmth given by his azure scarf and white long coat, the cold seemed to pierce through his chest. Slowly, his expression began to soften.

_"Snow, ice, it's just like you...pure, hopeful in erasing everything by covering it in a blanket of snow...wanting to start anew..."_

White flakes began to fall on his short hair of navy blue, contrasting the pigment with the way his skin and hair would do so. The once-empty gaze began to take in the reality of his surroundings marred with ruin and frost. The snow began to cover the scars of destruction, from buildings reduced to rubble to crystal frost on certain places. The sight of the wall before him bore another thing that he can see. Frost icicles marred by crimson, glistening like a ruby while the unrecognizable pile that was slowly being covered by the snow.

_"Start anew..."_

Impulse. His chest began to be riddled with tightness. His breath hiked up as tides of emotion began to sweep him all at once. He gave a stifled gasp. His arms hung on his sides as the young man stood in confusion...and terror. If guilt or fear was to be seen, his expression showed both. Chaos began to rattle him, his emotions in a maelstrom as they took over, bringing his mind and body in conflict.

This moment had him well. He could only shed a tear...

And scream out a curse.

* * *

"Kaito. Hey, Kaito"

The blue-haired youth flailed about screaming. The sound of his name being called was ignored. The next thing that came to him was a solid blow to his head by a bamboo sword. If anything, that snapped him into reality, awake and groaning in pain.

"Sheesh, you and your antics..."

He looked up and found a familiar face, especially the long hair of purple sported in a neat ponytail. The blue-haired youth seethed a bit while rubbing his head.

"Gakupo, you don't have to hit me so hard," he said, gritting his teeth.

"Well, you either sleep like a log or you're as noisy as a dying elephant. Now get up." Gakupo walked away with the bamboo sword resting on his shoulders. The black sleeveless shirt hugged at his lean-muscled body, toned due to rigorous training. His footsteps seemed to glide above the wood floor as his loose white pajamas contrasted the shade of his shirt. Stopping at the doorstep, he turned his head slightly and spoke.

"Well, what are you waiting for, Kaito? Get up already and fix yourself. Breakfast is waiting."

Kaito rose from his bed, his shirtless torso glistening under the ray of the morning sun peering through his window. He rubbed his forehead for a moment, this time due to the dream he had. It seemed too real for him; the scenario seemed too vivid.

"It's that dream again..." Kaito whispered dryly, feeling frustrated with him not figuring out what it meant. Rising from his bed, he ambled towards the bathroom to take a shower.

* * *

"Is he up yet, Gakupo?" the young woman inquired. She sat by the table, reclined in her chair while staring at the ceiling. The upper portion of her blouse was unbuttoned, showing her chest slightly.

"He'll be here in a while, Meiko." Gakupo answered as he left the counter with dishes in hand. He prepared breakfast for three people, noting that it was his turn to cook. Placing the dishes of eggs and bacon on the table, he looked at the stairs that led to the second floor. "Do you want to guess how long?"

"If you lose, you'll buy me a drink." Meiko beamed as she sat up properly. "I can guess it'll be a minute."

"I say lower." he replied as he sat down. His black button-up shirt matched his fitted jeans, bearing the same dark color. Meiko dressed up with a white blouse and a pair of red slacks. She scowled a bit, wanting to rant about another thing. "Gakupo?"

"Yes?" he had a bite-sized chunk of bacon dunked into his mouth as he listened.

"I understand the talk about blending well with people but..." Meiko pulled the fabric of her blouse with her thumb and index finger with an uneasy expression. "Why do I have to dress up like this? Yes, it's the company uniform but can they do something about this design?"

Gakupo had dunked a forkful of egg while taking a look at Meiko's outfit as she ate.

"Nothing seems to be wrong. Unless you want the uniform those girls have?"

"That's where I'm getting at." Meiko sighed as she took a sip of her coffee. "With this thing I'm wearing, not to mention my short hair, I might be mistaken for a guy if I wear the blazer."

"True."

"I know right?"

"Why don't you get one?"

"That's the problem. They don't have a size for me."

Gakupo paused for a bit and nodded. She had a point. Uniforms, one of the few things to worry about. Before he could say anything, the sound of heavy steps descending from the stairs noted the arrival of the one they're waiting for. Out came Kaito, dressed in a black T-shirt under a blazer with the same dark shade while a pair of dark jeans followed the form of his legs. A thin azure scarf hung around his neck, giving the only color to the sable outfit.

"Kaito clocked in about...57 seconds. Three seconds short of a minute." he announced. Meiko flinched as he looked at her with a smirk. "Looks like it'll be your treat this time, Meiko."

"Eh, what's this about?" Kaito asked, clueless

"Nothing really." Meiko answered, changing the subject. "Why do you always get up so late?"

"Uh, well...er...uhm..." Kaito was looking around the place, looking for an excuse. "A broken alarm clock, I guess."

"Well, go eat your breakfast because we only have a few more minutes to spare." Gakupo stated as he rose from the table, carrying the empty plate to the sink. "We'll be late for work."

* * *

**LENTEN COUNTDOWN**

**TIME REMAINING BEFORE RENUNCIATION: **_**60:45:05**_

The display flashed in the middle of the room with this reading. The counter kept on plummeting with its numbers as time flies by. A man stood nearby, his black military uniform contrasting the gray walls around the room. The black captain's hat concealed his eyes with the way it was tilted, leaving the shiny insignia on its center to gleam.

"Two days and twelve hours..." he said flatly. "We are giving them quarter."

"It means we will have fun with this." his companion spoke with a wicked grin. The glistening silver necklace served to accent the black shirt, coat and trousers. "My sword will have its share of chaos and it will be hard-earned."

"Your bloodlust precedes you." another voice joined in the fray, the metallic arm flexing and spanning its fingers. The white shirt and black vest emphasized his broad frame while his sunglasses covered his eyes. "What does _he _have to say about this? What will we do next?"

"The Lord Justice plans to broadcast a warning," the stoic soldier answered. "He is sure _we _will not be ignored."

The three look back and gaze at the throne behind them, noting the presence of another. Seated pensively with legs elegantly crossed, he smiled at them.

"Look your best. We will make ourselves known."

* * *

The car cruised easily thanks to the loose traffic. Kaito looked out as he let the wind brush his hair and face, gazing at the open window on his side. He whistled as he began to wonder about the briefing earlier.

"Meiko?"

The brunette had her eyes on the road, taking the wheel as they drove through the flyover.

"What is it?"

"Remind me why we're going on this babysitting mission." he had a scowl on his face, unwilling to do anything about it.

"First off, it's an escort mission." Meiko said a-matter-of-factly before expertly drifting on the curve ahead. This shook Kaito on his seat, as if she punctuated the point. "Secondly, our targets, or should I say_ clients, _are in that school we're heading to. Don't forget, there's another condition to this."

The cobalt-haired man sighed as he diverted his thoughts elsewhere.

"Face it Kaito, you want this trip." Meiko teased as she saw an opening on the road. "Not to mention that I know you have a thing for young girls."

"WHAT!" he said, wide-eyed.

Meiko stepped on the pedal and the car darted through the now-empty street.

* * *

_**Moments ago...**_

"You three understand our stand in this situation, yes?" the commander, Ted Kasane, said as he leaned forward to his desk and brought his hands to clasp each other. Eyeing the three agents through his glasses, his expression stressed how serious the matter was.

"Yes sir." The three answered as they stood before him. Meiko stood in the middle with Gakupo on the right and Kaito on the left.

"Due to the lack of capable agents with Special Talents in our ranks, I've resolved this matter with my power." he stated as he smoothed his black suit with his hands. He placed his hand on the desk, file folders caught in his grasp. He spread them to reveal two of them. "Now I took the liberty of finding these candidates as the Head of this branch. Shion, Sakine, these folders hold the information of your objectives."

The pair approached the desk and picked the files up. Meiko browsed through them and took a good look at the pictures, trying to remember every feature they bore. Kaito, on the other hand, smirked as he looked over what Meiko was holding.

"You are to find them and bring them with you." Ted stated. "Are we clear about this?"

"Yes sir." the three answered in unison.

"The two of you can go now." he then looked at Gakupo. "Kamui, I'd like you to stay here."

The two left the office, wondering what the commander wants with him. While the brunette focused her attention with the details of the mission in hand, the cobalt-haired man ended up with questions in mind. As soon as the door closed behind them, Gakupo took a breath and composed himself.

"Kamui, I have a different assignment for you." Ted started the discussion as he pushed another folder forward. "The subject you are after is this one."

He reached for the folder and opened it. The first thing the purple-haired gentleman noticed was a picture of a woman with long pink hair with eyes of radiant blue. Her familiar features left the man surprised, a name leaving his lips in a whisper.

"Luka..."

"Seems like you know the subject, Kamui." he said, amused.

Inside him, a number of emotions seemed to stir within all at once. He can't be sure of how to react. The gentleman kept his composure and changed the direction of the conversation.

"What is my mission?" he asked with a serious tone.

"You are to find the subject and coordinate with her." the man pushed his glasses up a bit. "I believe you know what to do from here."

Gakupo didn't like the sound of that. Although from what the crimson-haired man said, it seems that discretion is in the agent's hands. He closed the folder and looked at his superior.

"The arrangements are also set, including your new quarters and equipment. When you're set, we'll contact you about other things."

"Very well then, sir. I shall take my leave." he said coolly as he left the office.

* * *

_What is this supposed to mean?_ Gakupo thought as he walked towards the black motorcycle parked near the park. The stroll didn't help him in clearing his thoughts regarding the assignment Ted gave him. Mounting the bike, he reached for the helmet and slid it on his head. _Fate, you are one cruel mistress._

He turned the key to the ignition, bringing it to life. Revving it on the throttle bar, he darted off and went for the highway. The path he took to would be the more scenic route, in hopes that he could take in the whole situation.

_These new arrangements are going to be quite a handful. _He made a turn as the sight of the seaside made him feel relaxed as he sped through the road. _However, even with these new things, nothing seemed to change. It's as if nothing happened._

He sighed as he cruised off, a name leaving his lips.

"Luka..."

* * *

"So, Miku, where do you wanna go?" the blond girl asked, walking side by side with her friend. The short hair had clips to hold her stray strands in place while a white ribbon was neatly tied on he hair.

Her companion, a girl slightly older, tilted her head to think, making her long pigtails act like balancing scales.

"Hm, want to go shopping, Rin?" Miku asked her.

"Sure." she cheerfully answered as they neared the gate.

Their giggling filled the air as they walked along. As soon as she looked forward, she stopped. Rin stopped as well, wondering if there was something wrong.

"Miku," she called her. "You okay?"

Rin's voice seemed to fall on deaf ears as Miku stared with astonishment. The teal-haired girl said nothing, standing as if caught in a daze. For some reason, she recognized the scarf on the stranger's neck.

What happened next caught Rin into having a fit.

She squealed.

"SEMPAI!"

* * *

**Rant Corner:**

This corner will have notes on every chapter. Usually what I think of it and so on.

To start off, though this one came in a bit later, the plan to involve everyone instead of just Gakupo, Kaito and Len stuck with me longer. So, I thought of putting them in. Another thing, no action on the first one, reason is that I need to flesh out their backgrounds. Not to mention that this chapter seems to be a bit short (must be the lack of action) –smacked–

By the way, the updates of this and version one (VanaN'Ice: ParaNorm Smile Joker) come out on the same week. Expect an update from that once this is up.

Well, that's the rant. I hope you enjoyed it. Leave a review, ok? See you next time.

Sydney Grise


	2. ZWEI: Reunion

**Paranoid Doll: Renunciation**

_Disclaimer: I don't own Vocaloid. Just the story_

**ZWEI: Reunion**

"SEMPAI!"

The young man turned his head towards the gate, trying to find the one who called him. Kaito walked in through the gate, seeing the pigtailed girl wave at him. She made a mad dash to meet him, showing how eager she was after seeing him.

Perhaps a little to eager…

She threw herself towards him, catching the blue-haired man off-guard for a few seconds. He didn't hesitate to catch her but his footing was a bit off. A push, a tilt and there, down on the ground they were. The youth ended up being pinned by this cute girl.

Her younger blond companion ended up blinking, unable to comprehend what just happened or how it managed to unfold before her. The cobalt-haired youth likewise had no idea of what just happened until he saw her up close. Where did he see a girl with such features, teal-shaded hair, eyes matching a more sparkling hue of green, and a face cuter than the last time he saw her. The last part came out as an afterthought, something he didn't think on purpose. A mewl left his lips as he tried to get up from the ground.

"M-Miku…" he managed to say despite the comfortable weight pinning him. "It's been a long while now, hasn't it?"

"You have no idea, Kaito-sempai." She said with a cheerful tone.

"You know this guy, Miku-neechan?" her blond companion asked. She preferred to address Miku as her big sister for one good reason; they've been looking after each other since she came here. Ever since she was a freshman, Miku was the first friend she had and their bond grew to the point that they're thought to be siblings at one instance.

"Of course, Rin." Miku answered. She suddenly remembered how the two appeared that she quickly pulled back and got off the poor man, blushing. "Sorry about that, Sempai."

"No worries, Miku." Kaito smiled as he got up, dusting his clothes after falling like that. Meiko was not far from him, appearing a few seconds after the spectacle with a devious smirk on her face.

"Oh my, Kaito. You've been keeping secrets from me?" Meiko said with mock hurt. "I can't believe you're dating her secretly."

"EH?"

Too late, the girls were taken by surprise with that statement. Miku had an evident blush on her cheeks, albeit redder than the previous one. Rin stood there with wide eyes. Kaito, shaken by the underhanded approach, bore the same tinge on his cheeks. Blame it all on Meiko, she has a knack for tormenting Kaito since they were children. Knowing each other for that long time, it's been a part of her to tease him and end up catching him red-handed. She hadn't tried this to Gakupo or any person for the matter, but for now, she settled with giving this young man a hard time.

"Meiko where did that come from?" Kaito asked with a flustered look.

"Well, is it true?" Rin asked Miku. Now both were trapped with questions.

"Say, are you girls going somewhere?" Kaito changed the topic.

"No." both girls answered simultaneously.

"How about you come with us for some ice cream?"

Meiko chuckled at the invitation. Kaito's obsession with ice cream didn't seem to fade at all, though as much as he was inviting the two, the item didn't sound like a bad idea. Despite these thoughts in mind, she observed the two without being noticed.

_That made our job easier._

The two girls nodded, accepting the offer.

"Well, let's go." Meiko broke the silence before Kaito could do anything. She smiled at them and motioned her thumb to the vehicle behind her. "Get in the car. I know a place where they serve great ice cream."

* * *

Fingers shuffled with the keys kept together with the key ring, trying to find the one that can open the door in front of him. It has been long since he came here, probably a year or so since he left. Deep inside, he felt anxious, as he wanted to see if anything changed.

"It's just as I remembered it." Gakupo whispered to himself as he walked in. He made a right turn on the corridor as he found himself in the living area.

Sunlight peered through the glass window panels, casting a warm ambience to the place. The lavender-haired gentleman took a seat on one of the sofas, mind still shuffling and juggling with recollections. He glanced at the wall, seeing a rack where a_ daisho _(a set consisting of a katana and a wakizashi) is neatly placed on a wall shelf. The unlit fireplace faced the window opposite to it. Back then, the walls held a number of photographs and pieces of modern art. Now, these were bare.

His mind drifted for a moment. As his eyes gazed on an empty couch, he felt a memory play before him. He would usually see her there, seated or reclined while reading a book. Long locks of peach would cascade along her back as she delved through the volume. He was content with watching her do that at times, either while he cleaned the blade of his katana or while sitting there in silence. Despite her being preoccupied with her books, she would still be able to feel who was there.

She would stir and look over, smiling a bit after seeing him. It was what she does.

Now, that image fades and retreats to the depths of his subconscious. Shaking his head, he rose up and went up the stairs.

"I better take a walk. Sitting around won't help."

* * *

"Kaito-sempai, Meiko-sempai, where did you go after graduating?" Miku asked with a cheerful tune.

"Well..."

"We went to different universities after that. The company where the two of us work scouted us. They're taking care of the expenses." Meiko interrupted, covering Kaito with his struggle to give answers. "In fact, we didn't expect to meet at all."

"So, you met again there?" Miku asked with wide eyes.

Kaito nodded as he noted the arrival of the waiter, carrying a tray of ice cream treats. He stopped by their table and began serving.

"Banana Split," he served to Rin then turned to Miku and placed a tall container. "Vanilla and Mint Parfait"

The bigger pile of ice cream scoops consisting of seven flavors of virtually all colors ended up with the cobalt-haired fellow. "Here's your usual, sir."

Rin and Miku were surprised with Kaito's serving. The blond girl could not imagine if his appetite is just big or he likes ice cream too much. The other girl laughed, seeing the all-too-familiar quirk that she had seen in the past.

"You can finish all that?" Rin asked.

"He can down a tub of ice cream on his own." Meiko replied matter-of-factly as she nodded.

"He'll get fat if he doesn't watch it." Rin commented, still eyeing the man and his ice cream.

Miku giggled at the thought of a chubby Kaito, seeing a comical pudge bouncing around with a blue scarf while chasing an ice cream truck.

"He'll be worse than a panda." Miku teased.

"I'm not a panda." Kaito squinted and dryly answered.

A shrill ring echoed in the air. Meiko turned towards the side, taking her mobile phone from her purse. Her lips gave slight frown as she looked at them.

"Excuse me, I need to take this call." She said to them as she turned and rose from her seat, heading for a quieter corner. Flipping it open, she answered.

"Sakine Meiko here."

_"Meiko, it's me, Haku."_

"Oh, is there something wrong?"

_"We have a situation. You have to sortie."_

Meiko frowned as her expression turned cold and serious. Something didn't add up, though her voice revealed urgency in it.

"I see. I'll go then."

_"Thank you. You and Kaito are the closest in the area. Where is he?"_

"He's quite busy right now," she smirked. "Don't worry, I'll handle this."

She closed the phone and placed it back in her purse. She walked back at the table where Kaito and the girls were with a hurried pace. The young man noticed it.

"Something up, Meiko?" Kaito asked.

"Something urgent," she tapped his shoulder then turned to the girls. "I'm sorry to cut our meeting short but I have to go. Kaito will stay with you for now."

The girls nodded and soon, she left in a brisk walk. Kaito sighed as he looked at the entrance, noting that he had to pay the bill and everything. Ignoring this part for now, he turned to the girls and started talking.

"So, then." Kaito started as he began eating the ice cream. "How was school after I left?"

Rin took a spoonful of vanilla ice cream and said, "Well, where should we start?"

* * *

"Haku, what's the situation?" Meiko asked as she drove through the street. A screen opened at the part of the car stereo, flashing an image of both the operator who called her and a GPS tracking and plotting routes towards the targets.

_"We have some Geist activity within the plaza's vicinity. We need to control the situation and make sure no one gets hurt."_

Meiko snickered as she took a left turn. "I guess you'll include minimum damage to property."

_"Better be prepared for anything."_

"Sure. I'm always ready." She stepped on the accelerator and sped on. She has to get ready.

* * *

Screams of frantic citizens echoed in the air as people fled in fear for their lives. Grotesque beings lurked about the plaza, seeking victims to satiate their feral urge. A few security guards and police officers had already whipped their guns out of their holsters and opened fire. The bullets were able to punch holes on their blackened skins, though they appear unfazed by the barrage.

Humanoid in shape and form, their black bodies resembled those of mannequins. Lines were etched on it like circuitry, glowing with bluish-white hues. Their faces held one sphere in the center, acting as eyes for them to perceive with. They brought their fingers to span, revealing claws from its tips. To these officers, this would be in their nightmares for a long time.

The monsters made a mad charge, pouncing at their victims. The guards kept shooting, moving back as they continued. One of these beings managed to pin an unfortunate guard on the right side of the line, wounded by the claws as they met his flesh. Now open to attack, the being lunged at them with slashing at them haplessly. There was no hope for them.

"I'm outta here." One of them muttered helplessly as he turned tail and ran away, leaving his dying companions in order to save himself. Two of these creatures chased him as they broke away from the group. The man made a right turn, hoping to find a way out. The only thing that welcomed him was a brick wall. He was cornered.

The man turned around and raised his gun, firing at the creatures that now stalked their way to his direction. He walked backwards as he kept shooting, eventually having his back against the brick wall. If it could get any worse, the sickening click of the gun was heard. The clip has been spent. Now, everything seemed dismal. He has found himself caught between living and dying, unable to escape.

All he could do now is close his eyes, raise his arms to shield himself and brace for impact.

A shockwave was felt as an explosion was heard. The guard opened his eyes and saw a massive sphere of light as it slowly decreased its size and span. Soon, it was gone. As it subsided, he discerned a figure of a woman with her back facing him. She was clothed with a crimson suit, sporting short brown hair and wore shoes of black leather. What seemed odd was found on her right hand, finding it to be covered by a metallic glove.

"You better get yourself away from here. It's going to get ugly." She said to him as she walked away from this corner, heading to where those monsters rampaged.

He could not believe he was able to live another day.

* * *

The monsters moved around the town plaza, lurking after leaving a trail of destruction behind them. She could've guessed that this is unavoidable. Gritting her teeth, she raised her right hand to the level of her face, revealing the metal-clad limb to be donning a gauntlet. Her eyes were focused on them as words began to resonate on the surface of the metallic piece.

_**Brennend in der Palme meiner Hand, werden die Flammen meines Zorns erwähnt. **_

_(Burning in the palm of my hand, the flames of my wrath are evoked.)_

"_Geists_…" Meiko muttered as she looked at them dejectedly. A fiery sensation seeped within her well being as she made her fingers move, causing the metal pieces to crackle. The humanoid Geists began to circle her, ready to pounce and maul. A series of lines marked the gauntlet with a crimson aura, amassing to his palm in a sphere. The aura shifted from crimson to black, solidifying into a metallic ball the size of her fist. A few lines of glowing scarlet shimmered faintly as she sauntered in approach.

The Geists made their move as they charged at her. The woman threw the spherical device at the ones in front of her. Its crimson gleam became intense as an explosion enveloped the ones before her. Its force and blaze obliterated one as it met the spherical grenade head-on while the others were pushed back.

Seeing this opening, Meiko darted through the clearing it created as she readied another sphere grenade. Tossing another in the air, she made a pivot with her foot and darted on to her left. The orb flashed and gave off another explosion, its flames and force shattering the bodies of five more. Their numbers have been shaved down, leaving about eight more out of 15. She made a run for it, making the monsters follow her.

The expression she wore didn't show any sign of fear, only a state of rage brought in by this whole encounter. She came about a wall, wherein above it were the streets that led to other parts of the city. The humanoid Geists hopped and rushed at her trail, being a few meters away from making her into minced meat. She dropped an object on the ground, a canister rolling down the pavement. It stopped right at the very path the incoming monsters came to. The brunette readied another bomb conjured by her metallic gauntlet, a set of dart-like objects. They are coming in closer than she had anticipated.

It is do or die.

Meiko made a leap, stepping on the wall and started taking a few more steps with her wall-ride. The last step made her body flip backwards, the height of the flight made by her arcing body quite higher than the incoming assailants. She grinned as she hurled the dart-like objects at them, seeing them pierce the bodies of four of them. The others on the ground had come to the proximity of the canister.

"Die." She whispered as she snapped her fingers.

Explosions enveloped all eight of them, leaving not a trace of their remains behind. Meiko landed on the pavement with cat-like grace, her task already done.

"This one's cleared." The brunette commented as she started walking away. "I could use a drink."

She did not realize this was not the end of the chaos.

* * *

Long strands of pink seemed to shine under the afternoon sun as she walked by the sidewalk. It was already late in the day, road traffic growing dense at every second while trains are jam-packed. The young woman had taken this route, usually surrounded by tall buildings after coming from a recording session. Her ensemble consisted of a pink tank top, a black vest, and a pair of skinny jeans. A hairband rested on her head, keeping the stray strands of peach in place. She quietly walked, music playing through the ear buds connected to her music player as it drowned away the hustle and bustle of the busy city.

She had one place to go to tonight, her home. It was thanks to the project she was working on, an album that Crypton is preparing to release. There were a few more songs left to record, songs that she wrote and composed. Thankfully, there have reached half of the project's progress and a lot were accomplished today. Now, the only problem she had was with this singer. She's a handful for her to handle, requesting for ridiculous things. She may have talent but her performance a few days ago (until now) were not bringing the song justice. This diva personality was getting to the nerves of the staff, the songwriter included at most.

The woman could only think of drowning the frustration with music. It soothed her every time, setting her thoughts to drift. It was the same wave that aided her in gaining inspiration. As much as she would want to make more in her the comfort of her home, she was particularly drained. Oh, how she wanted to sleep.

_I'll have some tuna tonight. _She thought as she crossed the street.

* * *

"I'm sorry if we have to walk home like this." Kaito apologized as they walked through the street.

Miku shook her head with a smile on her face, assuring him.

"Don't worry about it." She cheerfully said.

"Besides, you're being too uptight, oniichan." Rin added as she frolicked along.

The cobalt-haired youth sheepishly chuckled as they walked along. Digging his fingers on the pockets of his coat, he looked up at the sky and whistled a tune.

"So, where do we go next?" Kaito mused as he asked the two.

Rin and Miku exchanged glances after hearing him. The blond girl had a mischievous grin on her face.

"Are you sure you want to join us?" she asked, something about her tone made him feel something's about to happen.

Not sure of what she's thinking, he simply answered. "Yeah, no problem with that."

Miku nodded at Rin after hearing his answer. The two girls giggled as they rushed at him. Rin took his right side while Miku took his left, clinging to his arms with a tight grip. Kaito stood there with a confused look, wondering what the two were thinking.

That was until he was dragged along by the two, chanting happily as they went along.

"SHOPPING, SHOPPING, WE ARE OUT FOR SHOPPING!" he heard them in a cute chirp. His eyes widened, as he could believe what he had dragged himself into.

_What did I get myself into?

* * *

_

"Lord Justice," the voice echoed from the entrance of the dimly lit room.

The master of this room sat reclined on his throne, his right leg propped on his left knee in his pensive state. The black cassock, trousers and shoes of leather did not show any trace of color before the host of candles surrounding the place. The contrasting factor to this outfit was found on the mask placed on his right shoulder, serving as a pauldron to cover it. The long, flowing hairs of white from the piece reached towards the left shoulder as it covered the top portion of his chest and back like a scarf or a piece of fur would. The candlelight revealed his face, making it look pale as his short hair of dark russet made his features appear youthful.

"What is it, ZERO?" he inquired, not shifting from his seat.

The man replied as he stepped forward before his superior, revealing his soldier uniform which resembled those of the Imperial Army when they fought the Second World War. His hat still covered half of his face, still holding a cold expression on his face.

"Resonance has been detected." He answered coldly. "It's Drei."

"Number three..." the lord snickered upon hearing this. The idea of resistance was the only condition he was waiting for. He issued his order. "We will proceed as scheduled. Gather all the Judges. The time has come."

"Understood." The soldier answered as he left. Now left alone, the lord closed his eyes as he began to speak, seemingly to no one.

"Ah…my perfect dolls, when will you open your eyes?"

* * *

_I have to admit that this isn't coming out right. _The purple-haired gentleman thought to himself as he walked on towards the street. It has been long since he walked through this part of the city. The last time he remembered walking through these streets is when he was going to pick someone up from work or when he was going to pay a visit. He kept to himself this time, trying to shut away memories that plagued him earlier.

He walked on, seeing if there were any changes to this place. There were changes to this particular avenue. As much as he ruled out the flyers and banners that usually change every month or quarter, he saw shops that were different from the ones he were familiar with. The shop where he would get to buy tea and other things was replaced with a bookstore. The flower shop now became a clothes store. Some shops remained; they just had a different appearance. A smile marked his face, seeing how long he had been away from this place.

_Yeah, I really am being too nostalgic._

SMACK!

A hard hit had his body pivot and spin. He nearly lost balance but with his leg moving by instinct, he was able to keep himself up. He was confused as to what happened. Trying to find who was the cause of it, he did not need to look further as he ended up looking at the pavement. Scattered pieces of paper littered the area with a young woman trying to pick it up. It was then that he moved by instinct.

"I'm sorry, Miss," he said as he moved to help her pick up her things, "I wasn't looking at where I was going."

She wordlessly collected her scores, sporting a worried expression. It seemed these items were precious to her. Gakupo kept on collecting them until there was not a stray sheet of paper left on the ground. Piling them up together neatly, he noticed that these bore music notes.

_Sheet music?_ He thought. _She must be a composer._

He handed the papers over to her, smiling apologetically. Before he was able to speak, he caught the scent of vanilla and strawberries as it wafted about his nose. He froze for a moment, seeing the flowing hair of light pink. He could not believe what was there before him.

_Luka, _he whispered to himself. "Here you go."

She faced him and took the pieces, putting these back into her folder as she rose from her seat. He rose at the same time, straightening himself as he kept his composure. Gakupo couldn't imagine she would be there right in front of him. At a moment that seemed to be an accident, he never thought this would be a reunion.

On the other hand, the woman wasn't sure what was with the gentle smile on his face. If anything, she could not remember where she had seen him. A familiar feeling came to her, but this she could not point out what it is.

"So, you're a composer?" Gakupo asked with a gentle tone.

"Yes…" she replied.

"That's great." The gentleman replied as he put a hand to glide on his hair, feeling the ponytail that was set securely. "I guess I'm not used to this place. It's been long since I've been here."

"I see."

The woman could not help but put her curiosity to good use. These features of his seemed too familiar but a little obscure. She could not help but ask.

"Excuse me for asking this," she started. "Have we met before?"

"Now that you asked…" Gakupo drifted off as he scratched his cheek. He was quite cornered with the question. He never thought that it would come to this. "I can't be sure if we have met or not, so I don't know. But…"

He extended his hand, offering a handshake to the woman.

"Just in case, my name is Kamui Gakupo."

She took his hand out of courtesy and shook it. "Megurine Luka."

"It's a pleasure to meet you." He smiled as he let go of her hand. "I'll be going now. Maybe we'll meet again."

"I hope so…" Luka replied as she walked away.

Gakupo took a different direction, his mind filled with a clutter of thoughts. He never expected this reaction at all. This target was different. Would he choose to play along with the situation or will he try to rectify a mistake he had committed? With that question pooling among a pile of other queries, he sighed and thought of leaving.

Yet, he was stopped in his tracks.

A cold shiver reverberated through his body. Something didn't seem right. He could feel the hairs of his skin rise as the feeling of malice tensed his body. It was close, within their vicinity. Images flashed in his mind, making him see a shade lurk about the wall of the building nearby. Its limb was outstretched, forming a dart as it took aim on the peach-haired woman.

She was being targeted.

_A Geist? Here? That can't be._

"Luka, get down!" Gakupo yelled as he dashed towards her, lunging and brought her to tumble down on the ground.

The dart was launched, missing the pair by a meter. Luka felt annoyed by the action but after seeing the protruding thing impaled on the ground, she winced in confusion and fear. Someone was after her. With regards to who it was or why it wants her dead, she doesn't know.

Gakupo rose from the ground and helped her up, his hand extended to put her behind him. The lone Geist sniper jumped off from its spot and landed on the ground. It wasn't long until distortions began to bend the space behind him, creating rifts out of the space. Assembling behind the creature were seven of its companions; humanoid Geists with bluish-white lines.

Now there are caught in a predicament.

**TIME REMAINING BEFORE RENUNCIATION: 53:20:00

* * *

**

**Rant Corner:**

Well, there's our second chapter. Sorry for the delay, guys. The update came in slow because of the projects that I need to finish. Those Majors are killing me, but that doesn't stop me from writing.

Now on to the rants, if you've noticed, I used German on one of the lines there. I'm not well versed with German so I used a translator. (Hits himself). Anyways, I plan to use them when these guys use their powers. They don't chant them, they just appear.

From this point, I can tell you that the updates might slow down. It'll speed up by the time it's September.

Thank you to all of you who placed this story on alerts and favorites list. I hope you enjoy this update. If you can, leave your reviews/reactions/suggestions.

See you next time.

Sydney Grise.


	3. DREI: Chaos

**Paranoid Doll: Renunciation**

_Disclaimer: I don't own Vocaloid. I only own the story. The inspiration and the ideas, however, have a basis and these things where they are based from are not mine._

_A/N: Now that the wait for this chapter is done, here it is. It might be tad longer than the first two. Well, more on that later. Right now, I give you the third chapter._

**DREI: Chaos**

When do we run?

When do we fight?

The timing of each action, the moment that is required of it, this would be the fine line that separates wisdom from folly and courage from cowardice. Despite the context of the action, the self will justify the aspects it has in its possession.

For the gentleman, he was thrust into that situation. Eight Geists have made themselves known after failing a silent ambush. The woman he was tasked to look for (and to that he took willingly) was now within his charge to protect. She stood behind him, startled and now in a state of fear as any person would be if caught in a situation like this.

_I can't fight them in this situation. This really is a bad time. _Gakupo thought as he kept himself alert for anything that they would do. _I don't have my sword with me. It won't work this way. This is just as bad._

"What's going on?" Luka managed to ask, her voice trembling in fear. "What are these things?"

"Luka..."

She felt his hand wrap around her wrist. It felt gentle but its grip was firm.

"We have to run."

She wasn't given any chance to react as she was pulled along by Gakupo as he started running. The folio she held fell to the pavement, forced to be left behind as they fled. The Geists gave chase, half of them rushed and ran by the walls of the building and leapt about in hopes to overtake and catch their prey.

Luka tried to keep up with his pace, being dragged along into running. If she doesn't, it would be hard to imagine what happens to her when caught. This felt a little bit familiar for her. It's as if she ran in this very manner before.

Now isn't a good time to think of these things.

Gakupo took a right turn towards a narrow alley. The Geists were not that far, a few meters away from them. When these creatures followed, they took the same turn and rushed ahead as they followed the path.

The lavender-haired gentleman took a peek through the opening of their hiding spot, a back door entrance to an abandoned building. He kept still, curled up as he held the woman close to his form. Their pursuers had reached a great deal of distance, convinced that their targets have gone farther off.

"Luka, it's safe now." Gakupo said softly.

The peach-haired woman raised her head, azure eyes meeting amethyst eyes. Her face was a few inches away from his, enough to make her cheeks flush with color. The closeness of their bodies was enough to bring the man to be speechless, his fair-skinned face carrying an evident blush. While the man was quite smitten with her, she had clenched her fist ease the tension and the feeling of embarrassment. He sensed the uneasiness that permeated between them, making him look away.

"Sorry about that." He said in a flustered manner, his hands pulling away quickly. She didn't need to count how many seconds it took him to get up.

Luka still kept quiet with that ordeal, either she was thinking of letting that pass or she's paralyzed to even consider that thought at all. She wanted to slap him at that moment but that made her hold off that impression for now, there are questions that she wanted answered.

"Here," Gakupo offered his hand for her to reach with the woman wordlessly grasping it to get herself off the ground.

Luka observed the man's gestures as he checked their surroundings for any sign of their pursuers. After a few moments, he walked towards the door of the building and went through the entrance.

"This way, they won't sense us here...well, not for now."

* * *

The curtains danced as it slid to the side, opening the path for Rin to enter with a dress in hand. It has been a while since the trio went shopping and so far, they have gone through a number of shops and boutiques around town. Kaito, their only male companion to join them, albeit coerced to join them as an unwilling servant, took this as an opportunity to buy some clothes of his own as to not waste his effort in joining them. While he was left behind with her 'Miku-neechan' the young blond began to change out of her uniform and tried fitting the dress.

It was a dress of blue and white with frills on it in a Gothic Lolita fashion. She collects this along with a few others, nearly having a separate wardrobe in her room to keep her dresses. Helping herself on the outfit, she turned to the mirror and checked to see how it was. She smiled as she tried checking how it would look like in different angles.

"Rin, are you done?" Miku's voice rang faintly from outside the fitting room.

"Yeah, here it is."

She slid the curtain aside and stepped out, revealing herself in that outfit. Miku and Kaito were seated on the padded stools where they waited. Rin began to twirl playfully, showing every angle of the dress. While the young man fell silent, the teal-haired girl squealed at how cute Rin looked like.

Unbeknownst to the blond girl, the mirror began to ripple. An image was left behind. It resembled her in a way, clothes dominated by red and black.

* * *

"So, the Geist rampage also caught this area as well." The silver-haired woman asked as she looked at the pavement, noting the chalked borders that marked the placement of where the bodies were earlier. The perimeter of the area was already secured as a number of armed officers kept the people away from the scene.

"It's surprising to note that it would go this far, Haku." Meiko commented as she took a gulp from the can of iced coffee in hand. So far, this was enough to keep her alert and relaxed. "This would be the fifth case this month."

"These incidents are beginning to get the attention of the media." Haku noted as she stood up and slipped her hands inside the pockets of her gray overcoat. Her clothes underneath the coat were similar to Meiko's style of attire, only that it's gray rather than black. She frowned a bit with the situation. "We won't be able to contain it if this continues. When that happens..."

"The public will begin to panic." The brunette scowled at the situation presented to them. Looking over at the area near the perimeter line, she noticed a crowd of journalists massed together at that very spot. "Haku, how are we going to do this?"

"Do what we always do, say nothing."

A loud beep caught the attention of both women. Haku brought out her cellphone out of her pocket, sliding the device to full span and answered the call.

"Yowane Haku here."

_"Haku, scanners picked up two outbreak signals."_

Her expression remained unchanged as she listened, hiding the mirth felt at that point. "Neru, were you able to track their coordinates?"

_"Yes, one of the signals is found at the Commerce District. The other is found at the western portion of the city, a few kilometers away from the Coast."_

_Curses. They're at the heavily populated portions of the city. _Haku grimaced as she shifted her attention towards the horizon. "Who are the closest in the area?"

"_Shion Kaito is in the Commerce District. For the other, Kamui Gakupo is the closest but I can't establish a connection with him. Something's preventing me from contacting him."_

"Gakupo can handle himself, he would have been fighting it on his own without being told." Haku answered as she walked towards Meiko. "Neru, continue to monitor the situation."

"What is it?" Meiko, having overheard the conversation, asked her companion.

"Two more signals caused by the Geist. One of them appeared at Kaito's area."

Meiko felt uneasy. She knew that Kaito can handle it on his own when it comes to a concentrated fight. However, with his hands full on protecting the two girls, he might have trouble containing the situation. She rushed towards her car, leaving a confused Haku behind.

"Where are you going?"

"Kaito's gonna need backup."

Without any second to spare, the car sped away in haste.

* * *

Kaito looked up at the sky, seeing how the sky was beginning to change in this time of the afternoon. After a visit, if extended stays of browsing and shopping would count, to a number of shops and boutiques, the cobalt-haired lad was stuck with bags bunched together on both hands. It's just as he thought, the whole thing was a babysitting mission. The only difference to this is with the clients. They may be cute and lovely, curse his preferences, but he ended up carrying bags after being dragged around while they picked up a number of stuff that he'd rather not mention. To be honest, he didn't ask for this at all. If this particular task was not part of the commander's orders, he would be indulging himself with a particular sweet treat that melts in his mouth.

"Kaito-sempai, over here." Miku yelled as she called, her arms flailing over her head in a wave. Kaito didn't notice that the girls were already a number of meters ahead of him. Turning to see them already that far made him shake his head.

"You sure don't want to waste time huh?" Kaito said under his breath as he walked a bit faster to catch up with the two girls. _It's just like what Miku said, nothing really changed. Although that also means she can't change the truth about herself._

He watched them go on with their chatter as they walked on, his mind deep in his thoughts. They seemed to be carefree, no worries except for school. As much as he wished he was also like that, time can never go back.

_I hope they stay like this..._

His thought was soon negated.

A cold surge rushed down the cobalt-haired youth's spine, making him stop halfway. Kaito recognized this sensation. He cursed it whenever it comes, this feeling of fear and rage mingling as it changed every moment. _If the Geists make their ambush here, there will be casualties. I have to do something._

The space began to distort as it rippled, a sign that something was being summoned into the area. Miku and Rin are close to that very spot. Kaito realized the reason for his mission, he had to find a way to protect them.

"Miku, Rin, hold it right there." Kaito warned, making the two girls stop and look at him in confusion. They noticed the change in his voice.

"What's wrong, Kaito-niichan?" Rin asked.

The young man didn't answer as he watched the ripple create a defined form. The tense sensation began to grow, making hold on to the two girls by instinct. Unbeknownst to him, the two felt it as well, not knowing if was from Kaito's sudden embrace or was it from something else.

"Hold on tight, you two."

A dark figure started to manifest as black streams fluxed from the ripping rift. By instinct, Kaito held them closer with their faces buried to his chest. He had to protect them but he can't do much at this state. Focusing on one thought, he began to let words spill out of his mouth in a low voice.

_**Weißes Licht, ist eine Bahn für die, die Schutz suchen.**_

_(White Light, be a pathway for those who seek refuge.)_

A gentle aura began to envelop the young man's form as well as the two girls that held on to him tightly. The being had already begun to solidify, revealing itself to be a towering figure that is twice the human height. Its massive body, covered in black with white lines flowing like a circuit, had begun to invoke fear in the hearts of the public within the vicinity. This black Golem, due to its shape and size swung its heavy arm and slammed it to the ground. Kaito could only brace himself for the incoming blow.

CRACK!

The massive arm hammered towards the pavement; the force of the impact caused the spiderweb crack to be left behind. The Golem managed to hit nothing but a white afterimage. Nothing stood there, not a sight of blood in the area at all.

* * *

Rin opened her eyes and noticed the change in their surroundings. It's from a balcony of a shop. Kaito raised his head as he kept his eye on the Golem, noting that they have ended up at a safe distance from the big creature. The girls were confused with this.

"What's going on?" Rin asked, her voice evidently rattled with panic. Miku could get herself to speak due to the shock.

"I'll explain later to you two." Kaito smiled faintly as he handed the bags to the two. "Find a place to hide while I go look for help."

Without any second to spare, he ran off. Kaito lied at his last statement, knowing that he was the only one who could fight that thing right now. By the time he took a turn towards the stairs, he whispered an apology.

"I'm sorry, you two." These words were left to the air as he flashed and vanished in a white light. He didn't realize that Rin had witnessed that brief light show.

* * *

"Could you tell me what the hell is going on?" Luka asked, unnerved with this. Being inside a dimly lit building, not to mention abandoned, would dampen anyone's mood about things. If anything, she can't trust him right away just yet in case he might do something and assault her without any witnesses. That's what logic would usually say.

The lavender-haired gentleman walked towards a nearby staircase, sitting on one of the steps as he breathed. His priority with her is their safety and with him being unarmed, fighting those creatures was nearly impossible. He has to think fast. For now-

"Ahem." Luka cleared her throat, demanding attention.

"Oh, sorry about that." Gakupo snapped back to full attention as he recalled her question. "As much as I'd like to explain everything, we'll need a better place and time for it. I promise I'll explain everything when this situation is under control. Right now, there are two things that I have to tell you."

The composer sat down on one of the steps, a bit lower than where the gentleman was. Gakupo moved up to give her space with how she would sit down. The sun's rays light a few parts to grant the place its dim glow, seemingly adding to the serious feeling in the air.

"First, those things that were chasing us are after you. They don't randomly target people." He saw her face grow pale, wanting to ask why. "As much of why they are targeting you, I have no idea as of yet. Second, I'm here to protect you. It's unlikely for you to trust me right away but please do, we are left with this option."

Luka was quiet the whole time, taking it all in. Every semblance of a normal life began to fade away with this moment. It no longer bore the same feeling of having to ready songs and other things. This one had to make her run for her life. As much as those questions ached for answers, she had to wait for the right moment.

Gakupo placed a hand on her shoulder, a gentle one. She wanted to shrug it off but somehow, she felt comfort to it.

"Everything is gonna be fine."

* * *

The Golem's appearance had caused panic among the people, making them run for their lives as it rampaged. Some of them tried to hide, wanting to see how this would unfold. Traces of destruction was left in its path, ranging from cars to other structures. The state of this situation was too much for anyone to handle.

A flash of light made itself manifest on a spot fifty meters away from the enemy. From that brief moment, the azure-headed youth reappeared as he hovered for a moment. His attire had changed, now adorned in a long white overcoat with navy trousers. A cerulean scarf coiled and draped its length around his shoulders and neck, showing a hint of energy through its faint aura. With a stoic gaze, he stared at his enormous opponent.

"Beginning purification." Kaito said in a cold tone as he stood while his right hand reached to let his fingers touch his scarf. A defined glow began to manifest on the surface of the fabric, revealing the words that were hidden within it.

_**Die kälteste Umarmung von den gefrorenen Tiefen, schützen die Freude, die ich beliebt mache.**_

_(The coldest embrace from the frozen depths, protect the joy that I endear.)_

The air around him began to grow cold in reaction, causing swirls of frost to dance around his body. Kaito whipped his hand forward, causing the frost to crystalize and shoot out icicles at the enemy. The frozen darts pierced the left shoulder and arm, disabling its movements. This didn't shake the Golem as it wailed in rage. The gentleman had provoked the creature, causing it to charge at him.

His posture remained still as his eyes were fixed on the incoming being. He has to make a quick work on this troublesome Geist. He made a turn on his hand, tilted so that his index and middle fingers are directed at the target similar to a gun. His aim had shifted as the icicles fired its volley.

The being found itself hindered and injured further as the frost darts shattered at impact on the right leg. A few others pierced the limb and caused the Golem to lose its balance and fall. It braced its arm to the ground for support, now driven to its knees. Kaito followed his instinct, now seeing the vulnerable state of the enemy yet noted at how the distance was halved. This came to his advantage.

"The core should be at the chest." He whispered to himself as he snapped his fingers, leaving his index finger pointed at the Geist. The barrage of icicles came again, this assailing stream of sharp spears of frost rushed towards the chest. Shattering into shards, the power of its collision began to shave away the outer layer. It continued until the core was exposed. Nothing stopped the barrage at all as it began to pommel at the core.

The relentless onslaught of flying icicles had brought the core to crack. The caster would not care to stop at all, making the rate of fire increase to a more continuous stream of ice slivers. The pressure and the constant pounding had caused the object to give way, shattering along with the ice. The black body would no longer hold without this centerpiece. Before his eyes, the Golem began to disintegrate as swirls of black smoke had rushed skyward.

Kaito's cold blue eyes stared on, devoid of any capability to express emotion. It held a void that is similar to the frozen north.

* * *

"So, number two has entered the stage as well." The Lord Justice canted his head in amusement. The whole endeavor is going smoothly as he had hoped.

"How long do we have to wait, Luna?" the voice groaned as the figure surfaced from the shadows. Revealing himself before the Lord Justice was one of the judges. His black shirt of silk was covered by the leather coat and trousers of the same dark shade. The contrasting piece would be the silver necklace on his neck and the rings on his fingers. His hair was set together in braids, reaching towards the back of his neck. "This waiting is killing me..."

"A Judge without a sense of control is unbecoming." Another voice echoed in the wind as the doors swung open. Both men shifted their attention to the entrance as the newcomer appeared before them. He was adorned in a sleeveless tunic of black with its long train reaching to the point above his heels. Its slits on the sides gave enough room for his legs, adorned with a pair of silken pants. The gold bracers on his arm glistened under the candlelight, along with the two swords strapped on his back. The longer one that bore a broad, curved blade was kept at a diagonal. The shorter one, bearing a straight and slender blade, rested horizontally with its handle within reach of his left hand. His spiked hair matched the stern expression on his face, one worn with pride and haughty disposition. "You are more fitting to be a guard dog than a keeper of justice, Asche."

He whipped out his longsword in response, its crimson blade shimmering amidst the darkness.

"Say that again, deserter. I'd love to see you beg." Asche answered with a growl.

"Enough." Luna's voice boomed as he gazed at the newcomer. "Lau, the Deva of Chaos. It has been long since you have visited. I suppose that you're here for the Appointed Time."

"As much as destiny rules everything, I have no other reason to be here besides that."

"Very well." Amused, the Lord Justice snapped his fingers. "I am still waiting for another key player to surface."

* * *

Tables have been turned, shelter now being more of a trap than a place of refuge. It was when the glass broke from one of the windows that caused the two to jolt back into a state of alert and started running. Luka felt herself being dragged along again, but this time, her pace was matching Gakupo's swift steps. The group of humanoid Geists kept on with their chase, having others spread out in different directions. This situation is now turning itself into the worst outcome.

Gakupo began looking through the maze of alleyways, wondering if there would be a place where they would be safe. The sunlight slowly retreating from the area began to pose as a disadvantage. Luka could also feel the gentleman's anxiety, wanting to find a way for him to protect her and himself.

The end of the alleyway is in sight. He quickened his pace in hopes of making it out alive. If this maze will lead them to a means that would help them escape these pursuers, it would be as good as dreaming but it would be a perfect result. If not, then he should start with his prayers that this would help him fend off these beings.

He was welcomed with a clearing, wide enough for the backstreets. Their only chance for an exit would be through where they entered, unless Gakupo was capable of scaling the building's height with her cradled in his arms. Wistful thinking. With this situation before him, he had to move fast.

"Luka, find a place to hide. Don't come out until it's clear and safe enough."

She rushed towards a corner, looking for an area where the shadows would cover her. Settling herself on a corner, she kept her eye on this brave acquaintance while worrying that her concealed state would not be discovered.

As for Gakupo, he found himself outnumbered. The numbers had gone up, reaching around fourteen at headcount. A number of factors registered in his mind as these beings formed a semicircle. Being unarmed posed as a handicap, along with the fact that he might not be able to pull off this stunt and end up getting himself killed or worse, get her killed as well. If anything, gambling is not in his nature. Was he ever left with any choice?

The lavender-haired gentleman began counting, letting the number rise to break the tension. His heart began to rise in its pace, anticipation evident in his stance. If there was a way to counter them.

The worst had played its cards as all of them moved in at once.

_**Hoffnung und Wahrheit ausgelöscht vom Grund. Bosheit schneidet mit Rache an seinen Reißzähnen durch.**_

_(Hope and truth extinguished of the reason. Malice cuts through with revenge at its fangs.)_

An urge filled him, instinct dictating him to bring his right arm at a ready. The first three of the group lunged for the attack, two of them going for the sides. He had no time to think at this point as he let his body do its bidding.

He swept his hand in a horizontal stroke. By that swinging of his arm, a falcate wave rushed out towards them. The indigo arc struck the Geist and went past him, leaving him severed in half. The wave continued as it severed those behind him, rending three more in that attack. With the other two going for a pincer attack, Gakupo moved out of the way by instinct. He could feel a sword's hilt within the grasp of his right hand, holding it firmly as the blade gave a dark gleam.

In a quick push of his leg, Gakupo charged forth to the right. This unfortunate Geist was unable to sense the swiftness of his movements as it felt the blade slide through his flesh. Black soot sprayed in the air as it fell on its knees and disintegrated. The one at the left gained at him and made a downward swing with its bladed arm. The purple-haired swordsman parried, deflecting the blade to the left. Two more rushed in with bladed arms ready to cut him to pieces. Sensing the attack, Gakupo leapt to the air in a side flip, the height being enough for the two to slip past him. Landing behind them, he swung his blade in an infinity symbol, landing two crossing slashes at their bodies in one motion. The third strike that he made projected another sharp wave of energy towards the lone Geist, severing its body crosswise.

The numbers have been reduced at this point, leaving about nine of them. Gakupo glanced at his weapon, noting the shape and form was that of a katana. Its metallic blade gleamed in a way a prism would react before the light, revealing a spectrum of colors on its edge. A feeling of affinity caused him to whisper a name in the air.

"Miburi...this will be your name." The man said unconsciously. He was puzzled at the words. Where did these come from? Seeing the enemies that surrounded him, he was thrust back to more pressing matters. "We end this now."

The young warrior did not wait for them to attack as he charged on. Energy welled from within him, filling him with strength. He realized how light his body felt as he dashed forth, finding himself to be faster than they are. Leaving a purple haze behind, he went with a quick diagonal slash rising to the left followed by a downward counter-slash. His body followed through as it turned to the right, welcomed with a Geist swinging its bladed arm at him. By reflex, Gakupo stepped back and avoided the attack by mere inches. It was at this instant that his foot pressed hard on the ground and made a forward lunge, sending the sword to a thrust. The Geist found itself stabbed by the blade, piercing towards the back. Three more rushed in and pounced at him, blades ready to impale. Gakupo turned and used the lifeless Geist's body as a shield, yet as blades pierced the makeshift shield, the man had to pull his weapon away from it and leave it with them.

Opportunity had appeared before him as Gakupo stepped back. Focusing his energy, the katana's blade began to shimmer with wisps of purple aura. He must stake his strength in a single blow if he is to have hopes of taking them out. In a downward stroke, he gave a loud cry. An influx of power blasted forth in a geyser, it's sheer force blowing the four humanoid Geists away into black smoke.

The numbers have significantly dropped with four of them remaining. Gakupo kept his guard up, anticipating their movements in case they go for the attack.

The Geists stopped.

The lavender-haired gentleman stood his ground, wondering what these beings were up to. When they began to walk backwards, the space behind them began to ripple. One by one, they vanished.

The enemy retreated.

Gakupo felt a wave of relief run through him. He lowered his stance and stared at the sky. The sun was slowly fading. The day was over.

* * *

The gears turned slowly. These old mechanisms of steel and iron remained to be still in a long time, being covered by the shadows and stone walls that sheltered it. Before the light of the nine-branched candelabra, a dress of black and red was revealed as it sat on a gilded chair of wood and leather. A black strip of ribbon covered its right eye while the rest of its length coiled around the figure's neck and flowed down to the floor. Blond hair glistened like the candle flames, hiding the face with a bowed head.

It was aware that the new chapter unfolds.

"Will all turn to white...or be painted black?"

* * *

**Rant Corner:**

Third chapter took me a couple of weeks to put together due to school matters. College is really crazy. Now that this is up, I better get started with writing the fourth one right away. Now for the rants.

First off, in case you see more of those random German inscriptions, they're thrown at an online translator so it might have a feel of "Engrish" somewhere in it. I was aiming for those things to act as flavor text. I won't repeat this part unless I learned the language and tell you about it.

(Gumi smacks a carrot at him)

Next off is OCs. These guys will have their entrance real soon. As much as they are OCs, their object of basis is from one person. I'll give you a box of chocolate cookies if you can figure it out. Ambiguous hint 1, he also sings. You'll get more on the next chapter if you want more hints.

Third, this chapter was written under the influence of bad apples and psychopaths frolicking my writing space. **SONG REFERENCE. **Okay, that was uncalled for but in case you didn't notice, I just mentioned two songs that were playing when I wrote this part. Bad Apple, which is a Touhou song and has an awesome Shadow Play video, is one of them. The other is Psychopath, a song sung by Luka, which happens to be a song with heavy rock tunes and our pink-haired Vocaloid screaming at certain sections.

Random note: In case there is a character that you want to see here, please leave a suggestion.

Looks like I ran out of rants today. I hope you enjoyed this one. Reviews, comments, questions, suggestions? You know what to do.

See you next time.

Sydney Grise


	4. VIER: 4th

**Paranoid Doll: Renunciation**

_Disclaimer: I don't own Vocaloid or anything mentioned in this fic. I only own the plot._

_EDIT: Took care of a minor typo._

**VIER: 4****th****…**

_This isn't real…I must be dreaming. This is just an illusion._

"_Why do you deny it so much…How many times will you do that? It's all in vain."_

_I'm just a normal person, an ordinary girl. I have my dreams and ambitions. I have my memories…my past. I call them my own. Mine. This thing isn't real. It's just a sick dream. A nightmare._

"_This is the truth. You can see how real it is. Your senses wouldn't dare deny it. This is real."_

_No, it's a lie._

"_These things…they came. They're after you. They've come for you."_

_No!_

"_This madness started because of you."_

_That's a lie!_

"_That man came because of you. He knows. He knows the reason. He remembers you."_

_Please…that's enough…_

"_Now, he will risk it all and fight for you."_

_Make it stop…please._

"_He will die because of you."_

_STOP IT!_

* * *

Darkness…the sound of gears halting…a shrill cry…all that remained was silence.

She opened her eyes of sapphire, finding herself in her hiding spot, crouched with her hands covering her ears. She wanted the voices to stop ringing in her head. For now, it had fallen silent. Her eyes took in the sight of the buildings that surrounded the enclosed clearing, the orange color of the sky as it reached dusk. There wasn't any change at all.

Nothing changed at all and for some reason, it didn't feel right.

The lavender-haired Gakupo stood before the sable assailants, prepared to fight them unarmed. The Geists have made their move yet their stances and motions have not advanced. It was as if they have been immobilized. Ironically, she can move, proven true as she raised her hand at level to her face. This, wondering how can everything else around her be at a standstill, puzzled her.

Time had certainly stopped.

The flow of things around her had taken a standstill while she can move freely. She wondered how this was even possible.

"_Do you understand why this is happening?"_

Luka was caught off-guard by the disembodied voice, hearing both male and female tones mingling at every word. She tried to find the source as her eyes searched for the direction of where it came from but to no avail.

"_You still don't remember? This will not do."_

"Who are you?" Luka shouted as she trembled while keeping her brave front. "Show yourself."

The space in front of her began to warp and twist as swirls of black matter began to gather at a spot a few meters away from her. Between her and the battlefield that has yet to move, the figure began to manifest. It was human in appearance, graced with lustrous black hair flowing down its shoulders and back with flawless skin bearing a pale complexion. The black kimono and hakama it wore seemed to carry a dark aura. A smile came to its pale lips as it spoke.

"I am Returner," it answered as the tone of its voice became masculine in timbre. The being glanced at its back while observing every detail, amused at the situation. "This is impressive. You've done perfectly well."

"What?" this had caught her in confusion. "What exactly have I done?"

"You really don't have an inkling of what you've achieved here." Returner chuckled as 'he' ambled towards the composer. With a wily smile on his lips, he revealed what she had done.

"Megurine Luka, you have brought time to be still."

The androgynous figure reached inside the folds of the kimono and brought out the paper fan. Luka still remained skeptical about the whole thing. "As you can see, Luka, this is all _your_ doing."

Speechless, the pink-haired composer could not find any strength to give a reply. So many questions loomed in her mind but not even a single inquiry was sent out. The opportunity was ripe for the taking but she couldn't take the chance. She's clearly stuck to where she is.

"Today is just the start." Returner spoke as its pale hand brought the fan to spread out. The being had read the situation clearly. "You have made it this far. To that I should grant you a reward."

Whisking the fan in a graceful manner, the being twirled and begun with a graceful dance. Swirling slivers of indigo and blue began to surround them, moving freely in every rhythmic gesture. Luka watched as the display continued, dazzled by the sight of this. At the very last turn, Returner stopped with the fan pointed at Gakupo. The swirling wisps began to gather at the man's frozen form, merging with his body in a faint amethyst aura. The being turned to the woman, a smile once again placed on its lips.

"We will meet again. Until then, let me leave you this gift…" Returner snickered as 'his' body began to evanesce, fading into a sable cloud.

As soon as the peculiar stranger vanished, the flow of motion began to return. The Geists had resumed their movements as they rushed in for the attack. Gakupo held his ground as he raised his right hand, crossing it towards his left shoulder.

Time had resumed its flow.

She watched the whole situation unfold, convinced that the worst is about to happen. She was about to witness someone's death in a gruesome manner. Her fears were about to be realized.

That was until Gakupo whipped his hand in an arc, a purple flash filling the space between him and the sable assailants. Luka witnessed the beginning of a battle. She could have sworn she saw a curved blade within the man's grasp. What happened after seemed too fast to remember. Her vision began to blur, forcing her to close her eyes.

That was the last thing she saw.

* * *

Blue. It was the first thing that caught her gaze as she opened her eyes, stirring from the bed where her body laid on. Noting how the color was similar to the one in her bedroom, there are many things in her surroundings that weren't that familiar. This wasn't her room. It could belong to that man, noticing the violet walls that enclosed the room.

"I see that you're awake, that's good."

Luka turned towards the door as she noticed Gakupo entering the room with a tray in hand. On it was a kettle and a pair of cups. He smiled as he placed it on the nightstand and brought himself to sit on the side of the bed. The woman was silent the whole time as he began to pour some tea. It was just like the time in that dream; so many things flooded her mind that she couldn't voice out what she wanted to say.

"Here's some tea." Gakupo offered as he handed her a cup. Her hands hung for a moment in hesitation but she accepted the drink given by the young man. Silence filled the room once again with Luka staring at the beverage. The composer found herself unable to speak once again. Gakupo found himself waiting for the other to speak.

Awkward silence filled the room.

Luka closed her eyes tightly as she tried to muster all her courage to break the silence. Now would be a good time to ask those questions. She was about to open her lips to speak when a familiar tune came in the air with a whistle. She recognized that tune; it was one of her songs.

Gakupo paused and smiled at her.

"That tune...I whistled it whenever I want to feel strong. Someone..." he paused, his voice softening in hesitation. "Someone taught me that song. I forgot the words to it though."

"So, what's the name of that song?" Luka asked. She knew the title of the song already yet she wanted to be sure about a number of things.

"Toeto."

The mention of it made Luka nearly jumped up. _I don't recall teaching that song to anyone..._

"Who taught you that?"

_You. _Gakupo thought, as he was tempted to say that. He said something else instead. "Someone very dear to me."

The gentleman wore a solemn look, turning away to make sure she didn't see it. To make a valid excuse for himself, he sipped some tea from his cup.

_I'm sorry, Luka. I can't tell you the truth right now. It's too early._

He straightened himself as he faced her, trying to look relaxed.

"I believe you want to ask about what happened earlier this afternoon."

Luka didn't hesitate, finding this as an opening.

"Who are you? WHAT are you? What were those things and why are they after me?"

Those questions came out in a single go, making Gakupo snicker at the way it sounded. Luka glared at him because of it.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing. But I'd appreciate it if you ask them one at a time."

She sighed as she started sipping the tea. Gakupo got himself ready as he took a breath.

"No need to repeat yourself since I got a grasp of those questions." He replied as he shifted in his seat. Luka tilted her head and noticed the serious look worn on his face.

"I already told you my name so I guess I won't have to repeat myself. On the other hand, what I am may surprise you."

"Try me," she said without flinching.

"I am a weapon."

"That's ridiculous."

"Did you see me fight those things? Tell me if that doesn't explain anything."

"..."

Silence filled the room again. Luka felt shaken as she felt her doubts were confirmed. It wasn't a dream. The encounter with Returner and the sight of Gakupo fighting those beings now began to sink in.

The gentleman continued regardless of her state.

"Those things that we ran away from, those things that I fought and killed; they're called Geist." Gakupo turned to memory for any information that came with that subject. "I don't have any clue to their origin but as far as I can tell, these things are not defeated by conventional weaponry. This is where I come in."

Gakupo paused as he drank some more tea to wash down his throat. He smiled and resumed.

"Now the thing is there are others like me, bearing special abilities that can defeat the Geists. A group was formed for that, dedicated to fight these beings with everything they have from resources to the people capable of fighting them. That's where I work." He sighed as he noted the next question would be a touchy topic. "As to why the Geist are after you, I have my own theories about it but..."

A pause filled the gap once again. Luka noted the silence took a handful of seconds. What could he be hesitating for?

"But what?"

"They're quite premature. All I can say is that you have something that they would likely take interest in."

Luka could only curl her legs up and brought them close to her chest. Everything that she knew of her life, everything she had hoped for, these normal things in life, would fade away right before her eyes. After this, her life will never be the same again. This made her anxious, not knowing what to do.

Gakupo, on the other hand, felt helpless as he sat there. It pained him to see her like this, making him wish he could do something to comfort her. He wanted to embrace her, make her feel safe but he doesn't know if he should. Would it be too much that it might give the wrong message?

Inner conflict had left him confused. What now?

He crept towards her and brought his arm around her in an embrace. Warmth permeated between them as Gakupo whispered.

"Luka, whatever happens...I will protect you." He hesitated with the words that follow, knowing that it would hurt. "We...we may have just met...it might sound annoying but I'll say it again and I won't go back on my word. I'll be here to protect you, even if it means my life."

The woman found herself burying her face on his chest. It didn't matter if he was a stranger or she was vulnerable to anything. Right now, she needed something to hold on to. Luka found it quite strange but the man's presence felt too familiar, making her feel secure in that moment of weakness.

He closed his eyes and smiled as he let his hand brush at the smooth texture of her long, pink hair. He pondered on what he could possibly do after. Turning towards the window, he saw how the sky began to darken for the evening.

"Luka, I'll fix something up for the both of us. Can't go on an empty stomach now, can we?" Gakupo chuckled as he moved back and walked towards the door. "I'll be at the kitchen."

With that, the gentleman closed the door. Luka stared at her feet, taking in what just happened. She let the silence of the room fill the stillness.

* * *

Meanwhile, Gakupo closed the door behind him and leaned on it for a while. A heavy sigh left him as he gathered his composure. If there was anything to do right now, it was to curse the burden placed on his shoulders. Even before the commander gave the mission, he knew that the fruits of his actions would soon catch up to him and haunt him perpetually with nightmares. This was just part. The only thing he didn't anticipate was for it to come sooner.

_Is this…your idea of punishment…? _Gakupo asked silently as he walked away from the door and headed for the kitchen. There was one thing that he didn't expect at all, a factor that he had ruled out by accident.

"Onii-chan…" This caught the man off-guard. He smiled bitterly as he faced this girl, adorned with green hair. Her outfit evidently shows her being a high school student. The more distinct feature about her would be the set of goggles with an orange and green color scheme. His mind made him answer quickly.

"Oh, Gumi-chan, I'm sorry I came by without calling you." Gakupo interjected as he paused by the hallway. "I'll be staying here."

"Assignment, right?" Gumi was quite happy with the note of it. "As long as Onii-chan's here, it'll be alright."

"Thank you, Gumi…" the purple-haired gentleman trailed off, carried away by nostalgia. They are quite close, due to the fact that they have to watch over each other. Their parents were divorced and Gakupo had to stay with their father. Megumi, or Gumi as her pet name goes, stayed with their mother and was forced to assume her mother's maiden name. These differences would not be enough to sever their link by blood. Gakupo truly cared for her sister that he supported her as he worked.

He paused, noticing that she wanted to say something to him by reading her every motion. "Were you going to say something, Gumi?"

"Uh, brother. I brought a guest over…" she trailed off.

"I'll cook for tonight since I came without warning and I also brought someone over." Gakupo smiled as he headed for the kitchen. "By the way, please set the table while I make something tasty."

* * *

The feeling of the wind brushing on her face calmed the feeling of negativity for the rest of the evening. Meiko had always enjoyed a nightly drive, even a mere cruise through the highway. This situation, however, was more of an ambulance run for her. She took a glance at her rearview mirror, seeing a glimpse of the two girls. The blond Rin gave an empty stare at the drifting surroundings over her window, her mind wandering on a number of things. Miku drifted in her sleep with her teal pigtails splayed around her. Meiko smiled as she shifted her gaze to the corner of her eyes, seeing Kaito in his peaceful nap. Compared to Miku, who was strained by the trauma, the young man had finished his battle for that day.

She couldn't help but shake her head with the thought. Seeing him this vulnerable was nothing new, yet Meiko couldn't help but feel sorry for him. His burden must have been heavy.

**

* * *

Moments ago…**

"Kaito, you alright?" Meiko asked, having caught the blue-haired caster's body. She cradled him, noticing how he lost his balance after that ordeal with the Golem.

"I…I'll live…" Kaito weakly answered. He could hear the brunette whimper in complaint.

"You're quite a handful, you know that?" She said with a grunt as he clung to her like a crutch as soon as Meiko brought his arm around her shoulder. "I can't help but ask. How long will you carry that burden, having your emotions go through that roller coaster after every battle? That's dangerous, right?"

His scarf and the stray strands of azure obscured his expression as he chuckled while staggering on their way back to the car. There are things that they don't understand about this power. Unsure of one truth, he felt that anyone who bore such power carried a burden just as heavy. Meiko and Gakupo may have to pay a cost in a different manner, but they pay the toll nonetheless. Kaito felt that this was already a given.

"Sometimes, the price doesn't matter anymore." Meiko felt a tinge of pain after hearing his soft whisper. "Besides, we do what we're meant to do without further question. I surely don't question mine at the moment…"

_

* * *

Stupid Kaito…we're not puppets. _Meiko bitterly smiled as the car continued its trip. Her destination was already set, the main headquarters where Commander Kasane was waiting. _Can you imagine how much it hurts to watch you this way?_

If there were a perfect time for the rain to fall, now would be the best time for it. Sadly, that wish seemed to have held itself off and refused.

_I think I'll need to drink Kaito's share…_

* * *

The sound of clicking gears continued to echo in the air. The blond remained seated, transfixed with eyes staring at the mirror's warping surface. The ripping on the reflective plane of quicksilver seemed fluid as its reflections appeared distorted. The black and red dress the being adorned contrasted the dull colors of gray and rust that the gigantic clockwork bore.

As much as it continued to move, it was unchanging.

Except for the footsteps muffled by the sound of the gears, nothing had changed.

"Don't you ever grow tired of staying in this place, Black?" the voice asked, breaking the monotony in the air.

The being turned, looking back with an unhindered left eye. The black lips began to mouth words for a reply.

"I stay for I watch." The being answered as it noted the newcomer's short chestnut brown hair, black simar (a priestly garment with a small cape covering the shoulders and half of the arms, worn by cardinals and bishops) and silver cross on his neck. "Verse, you bear half of the burden. Having to walk the earth like one of them."

"I prefer to see how the world moves." Verse replied as he pushed his glasses up the bride of his nose. "Are you sure you wish to sit here and watch over that girl? She bears the same appearance as you but what will you gain from it?"

"An answer…" was Black's reply as soon as the mirror made a swift ripple. The surface began to grow lucid as it began to project a clear image. It was that of a young girl, her shoulder length hair of golden blond adorned with a white ribbon and hairclips to keep stray strands from falling to her face. The being gazed at the projection and spoke again. "Paranoid Doll is slowly awakening. The Judges are preparing. They will make their move anytime now."

"I'll make sure we have our arrangements set in as well. That is before they do anything drastic." The man stated with assurance as he turned his back and walked away. Black continued to stare at the mirror intently, wearing a melancholic countenance as it raised its hand towards the image.

"Rin…"

* * *

The meal was over, leaving those who dined with gasps of surprise. A number of things were revealed over the table during that meal. Gumi's visitor was her classmate and best friend Miki. Her cherry-pink hair that cascaded down her back seemed to be a dark shade to Luka's salmon-pink locks. Who would have thought that this would be the giveaway to the fact that both were sisters? If the hair linked the two girls with their blood relation, there weren't any physical traits that would denote such relationship between Gakupo and Gumi, unless their love for vegetables would count in the list. Then again, it must be coincidence.

Gakupo saw this as another good thing. This was the first time that he saw and heard them laugh and smile. However, despite that, there was one awkward thing that caught both by surprise.

"Luka-neechan, Gakupo-niichan," Gumi asked as she had a noticeable blush on her face. Unsure how to ask the question, she looked at Miki and gave a nod.

_I wonder what these two are thinking? _Luka thought as she observed.

"Uh…er…uhm…are you two…" Gumi started off with a stutter.

"Are you two lovers?" Miki bluntly asked.

Luka and Gakupo ended up being flustered. The woman was shocked by the assumption while the gentleman smirked.

"I don't think so but thanks for the suggestion." Gakupo noted with a chuckle. This earned him a punch to the arm. "What?"

"Don't get any ideas." Luka said in a low tone.

Gumi nervously laughed as she imagined on who would be dominant between the two. In hopes of changing the topic, he turned on the television and began browsing through the channels. The display began to hiss and surge, changing the image being broadcast.

A room was displayed, having a chair set on the center with a dark figure seated on that portion. The lighting focused on the being also revealed velvet curtains in the background while four cloaked beings stood behind the one seated. The image hissed again as it is now focused on the figure on the center. Short hair of dark russet gleamed under the light, laying contrast to the porcelain skin of his youthful face. The black clothes and the flowing strands of white from the mask propped on his right shoulder accented the authority that he exuded. For that few minutes, Gumi was left with a gaping mouth out of amazement. Gakupo, on the other hand, felt uneasy upon seeing the image.

The young man tried to change the channel but every station showed the same image. He had suspicions about this.

"I wonder if this guy's going to give an important announcement." Miki pondered. "Must be a big event…"

The silence was soon broken by the sound of the phone beeping. Gakupo felt it vibrate inside his pocket, making him reach for it quickly and answer.

"Kamui Gakupo speaking."

"_Gak-kun, it's me Teto. Check your TV and tell me what's on."_

"It's this broadcast which appears to be an over-the-top theater production." Gakupo said with unease. "Something's up about this."

"_Looks like every station in the country was hacked and this thing managed to patch through. Wait, it's starting."_

He glanced at the three girls, seeing the younger two had a look of interest. Luka, on the other hand, appeared to be composed yet a bit troubled. _Looks like I'm not the only one feeling troubled._

The broadcast began as the voice boomed with pompous zeal.

"_**To all of you, rulers of the government, the affluent merchants, the commoners and the working class…I bid you good day. Your time is nigh and still you walk on with blind eyes and deaf ears. Let us ease your woes."**_

The man on the broadcast snapped his fingers, displaying a set of video footages. It showed a number of Geist attacking people, killing and destroying what stood in their way. These graphic images made the two young girls cringe as they watched whilst the lavender-haired man winced.

"_**We have proven you guilty of the imbalance. Your sins point to self-destruction; polluting the purity that once belonged to our beautiful world. Your verdict shall be given."**_

"Unbelievable…" Gakupo said through the phone. "They're the ones responsible."

"_They're the masterminds behind the Geist attacks?"_

"But what for?" Gakupo whispered in question.

"_**Your existence angered us. Lest you change your ways, we will destroy everything that you have built and purify this world.**_

"_**We are the Sephirah, the judges of fate. Repent and be spared or be judged with death. We will await your answer in two days."**_

On that night, the world had begun to shake in fear and confusion.

**

* * *

Rant Corner:**

At long last, I've finished this chapter. I started writing this chapter on the night of my birthday (September 23) and now I finished it after a month (November 1). Reason behind it: I rewrote this chapter after reading the first version. I wasn't that satisfied with it and I have a feeling this one's a bit hard to write. Well, here it is.

Now that the first arc is over, the next one is about to begin. Starting on the next chapter, I might go character-centric on selected chapters to delve more on character. I call this the Two-Day Arc or the Countdown Arc.

Now that's up, let's go to the name of the chapter. It has a number of meanings for me. One of them is that it took me four weeks to write. Another leads to Gackt's intro from his album Rebirth. Lastly, it's because I have found myself going beyond the fourth chapter barrier (I called it that because I end up stopping at Chapter 4 or 3). I guess the story is picking up and I'm enjoying every bit of it.

If you remember the ambiguous hint about where the OCs of this fic came from, I have another one for you to know. Hint number 2: (this one's a real giveaway) he voiced a certain character in Final Fantasy VII not to mention sung a theme song for one of the games.

Lastly, Black and Verse are from two Vocaloids that you guys are probably familiar with (if the descriptions are not a giveaway, then what else would?). Go ahead and guess or wait for further developments.

Now that this update's done (and I've turned 23 during the course of writing this), I hope we would see each other on the next update. Suggestions and comments are still open. Until then, see you around.

Sydney Grise


	5. FUNF: Blue

**Paranoid Doll: Renunciation**

_Disclaimer: Vocaloid is owned by Yamaha and other related companies. I only own the storyline used._

_A/N: It took long but here's the update. Less talk, more story so…here it is._

**FUNF: Blue**

_I have lost it once. I'm afraid it will be lost again. Even in the face of principles and ideals, when trust is lost, it will be smeared with blood and contradiction. I'm afraid it will happen again; trust being betrayed right before my eyes. I hope my fears are not realized here or else…_

_That nightmare will haunt me again._

* * *

"_Teto, am I being called back to HQ?" _Gakupo's voice echoed through the mobile phone's earpiece. The view of the city skyline was seen through the glass that encased the elevator. With its descent, Teto Kasane calmly answered his question.

"No, you'll carry on with protecting Megurine-san. Besides, Kaito and Meiko are already on their way here with the other two Candidates."

As much as the ring of the term sounded a bit impersonal, she knew that Gakupo would know what it meant. The woman knew that this situation is beginning to grow into a state of panic. Despite this, she shifted to her perky mood just to keep her calm.

"At any rate, Gak-kun, wait for further instructions. For now, you can score yourself a free date." That comment earned her a groan from the young man.

"_Uh…Understood. Well then…" _the call was then cut; the conversation already over.

Teto placed her phone back inside her pocket as she crossed her arms. Her petite frame made her look younger than her actual age, this coupled with crimson locks styled in swirling pigtails. Her cheery disposition was soon replaced with a more serious expression.

_The world is in a state of panic. We've received a number of calls and messages, asking so many questions. They're beginning to be rattled at this strange charade. What now? What do you have in mind now, Ted?_

The lift continued in descent as she turned around, leaning on the glass while facing the elevator door.

* * *

The car made a smooth stop upon arriving within the premises of the compound. The towering building of the headquarters earned Meiko a sigh of relief as she stepped out of the vehicle. She caught the sight of the silhouettes of men in suits walking on their way towards her. Accompanying them was a woman dressed in her uniform, consisting of a gray sleeveless shirt with red linings, a maroon necktie and a short skirt that reached up above the knees. Her auburn hair was set into swirling pigtails, reaching up to her shoulders. This made the brunette sigh in relief.

"Teto, you really have good timing."

"Mei-chan, where's Aisu-kun?" she asked with a curious tone.

"He's inside the car. Quite exhausted after that encounter." Meiko replied, knowing that Teto was referring to Kaito. "As for the two clients, they're asleep in there."

"I see." Teto commented as she raised her hand, bringing the suited men to head for the car. Meiko watched them carry out the sleeping Rin and Miku out of the vehicle while another man carried Kaito. The redhead glanced at her companion, probably the squad leader of the group.

"Have them checked up and treated at the infirmary. Afterwards, bring the girls to the Craft Facility."

The man nodded as the group entered the building, leaving Teto and Meiko behind. Meiko was bewildered at the redhead's statement.

"Teto, are you sure about this?" she asked as she brought her hand to feel the wrist of the metallic gauntlet on her right hand.

"We're left without any choice, Mei-chan. We could only hope that the Awakening process is successful without anyone losing their minds."

Meiko felt through her gauntlet as she clenched her armor-clad fist. Something seemed amiss about the whole mission. Sure, the commander told them about bolstering their ranks but this felt different. Doubt had begun to take over.

"We've been forced to fight, Mei-chan. They have declared war."

The brunette's ears perked up after hearing that.

"War?"

"I'll explain that in a while. Let's go inside."

* * *

"_Kaito, this way. Hurry."_

_He heard his friend's voice call out to him, his hand yanked along as he was pulled along. They ran through the streets, passing by the ruins of the urban jungle that fell into a state of ruin. Buildings reduced to broken faces and walls, dust gathering in heaps while isolated flames burn away. The place that they treated as home, despite how harsh their guardians treated them, now began to waste away in this chaos. While Kaito had followed suit in running, he couldn't help but think of what happened to their companions._

_"Where's Miriam...and Lola?" the lad asked in between breaths._

_The blond lad wore a worried expression, soon stopping midway in their fleeing. His head hung low as his pale hands balled together into fists. Gritting his teeth, he tried to stay strong. He has to stay strong despite the sound of explosions and gunfire within their surroundings. He didn't want his friend to lose hope._

_"We got separated a while ago," he answered, not daring to look nor face him. "I hope they managed to get out of here in time."_

"_Leon…"_

"_We better get going." Leon straightened himself and faced the cobalt-haired youth. "Can you run by yourself?"_

"_I'll be fine."_

_Leon didn't hesitate for that moment as without further ado, they darted off through the ruined city. They ran, dodging the malice-filled eyes of the soldiers and the bullets fired from their guns. Upon reaching a curve, a squad of four soldiers took notice of them and had stirred from their positions. The blond lad reacted quickly as he raised his hand and aimed it at them. Particles began to stir, gathering and tensing before they shot out from his palm. As potent as that of a gunshot, the energy blasts took them down and effectively killed them. Kaito witnessed it, noticing how Leon didn't waver with that action._

_The pair kept on running with Leon taking care of the soldiers that would try to get in their way. A little further, Kaito wished, a little further and they would be able to make it out alive._

_That's when their wishes were denied._

_BOOM!_

_An explosion shook the two, sending them flying towards the ground. Kaito suffered from the blast with a concussion, his vision blurring after finding himself looking at Leon. The blond youth had his back turned, facing a number of soldiers. The confusion made him lose track of what happened later on. _

* * *

"Kaito…Kaito, calm down." Meiko tried to calm him down, soothing him with her words while using her strength to hold him still. This part of Kaito had troubled her ever since.

The man soon calmed down, hearing her voice as he opened his eyes. Breathing heavily, the first few things he saw were the white walls and curtains along with Meiko's face. He sighed in relief though he ended up frowning.

"Are you alright, Kaito?" Meiko asked with concern.

"Yeah, sort of…" Kaito replied weakly as he tried to get up from the bed.

"Was it that dream again?" Kaito nodded in response to the brunette's question. He tried to collect himself and maintain a good bit of focus. He then remembered something.

"The girls," Kaito gasped. "How are they, Meiko?"

"They're fine, Aisu-kun." Teto's voice brought the man to look at the corner of the bed, seeing her standing there with a playful smile. "They're accounted for. More importantly, what's with you screaming the name Leon?"

"Leon?" Meiko recognizing that name as her expression became serious, her position now shifted to return back to her seat. "Isn't that WK-001 Eins, the one that went missing when the Agency found Kaito?"

"The reports didn't clearly put any other details to that incident." Teto answered as she sat on the side of the bed. "Apparently, the Research Facility in Talos was already destroyed before they found him. The other subjects that were listed in the report were already written off as deceased."

"And those would be…" Meiko inquired.

"WK-004 Vier and WK-005 Funf." Kaito answered with his head bowed, catching the attention of the two. As much as he could not deny the truth of their deaths, he still suffered a great deal with the nightmares and scars it bore him. "Their names are Lola and Miriam respectively."

Teto's curiosity was piqued as Kaito raised his head, now composed. "If you want the story that the report didn't cover, you better pay attention."

* * *

The conference room had a tense air about it. Ted Kasane could feel it due to how sudden the call for it came out. With the Board of Directors now gathering together, while those absent opted to use a videoconference, they all wore a myriad of expressions. The redhead sat between two board members at the right side of the long table. The windows had been covered with mechanical blinds, bringing out an air of secrecy to the moment. Now, they are set to begin.

The head of the table began to flash about, bringing a holographic projection of a gentleman. Dressed in a white dress shirt topped with a vest and black tie on the torso while a pair of slacks and leather shoes, he straightened his posture and spoke out. His voice had called for their attention.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I have received disturbing news as of late." he started with a stern tone. The people on that meeting were on open ears on what was about to be said. "To that effect, I have called for this meeting to discuss these matters."

Murmurs echoed in the room as the people, excluding Ted, exchanged glances and statements among themselves. The white-haired man adjacent to him was particularly unaffected by that as he kept still, looking at the leader's projection. The leader soon raised his hand and clapped his hands, causing the murmurs to cease. Now that order was once again restored, he motioned for the redheaded gentleman to speak.

"Commander Ted Kasane, would you please share the report regarding this issue."

Without any hesitation, he nodded and began to press a key on his side of the table. The lights in the room began to dim as the long table began to reveal individual displays for the delegates for them to refer on to. It was then that he spoke.

"As of 1700 hours, the broadcast that intercepted with the media channels was shown throughout the city of Vox. Our investigation team, led by Haku Yowane and Dell Honne, had worked on tracing the origin and nature of the signal. As it turns out, the source happened to be scattered throughout the city edges."

He pressed another key and a holographic projection of the broadcast footage was displayed.

"The people showed in the broadcast, if we put aside our agents, have a positive match in our database. Definitely, it is the terrorist organization Sephirah. Apparently, the message was a declaration of war."

The people in the room, except for three of them, were aghast with the statement. Ted cleared his throat and spoke again as to regain their attention.

"With the situations that have take place, our investigations have ruled in connections with incidents as of late." He motioned to his right, calling a silver-haired woman to nod. "Haku Yowane will present the details of the investigation."

"For the past few weeks, we have recorded five cases of Geist activity within the city. There had been a number of casualties, accounted mostly on civilians." Haku stated with a calm voice. "The number of those injured and killed increased compared to the previous incident. It would be too much if this continues."

"Also, if I may add." Dell spoke out after Haku glanced at him knowingly. "There were similarities between the Geist incidents and the broadcast hijacking. Though the source is yet to be determined, the type of signal detected in these two incidents is similar. We're currently looking this through and for now, we'll call this the Echo Signal."

"This only proves that they are the ones responsible, sir." Haku concluded.

"How much time do we have left?" one of the board members asked, his voice having a hint of panic.

"Two days." Ted answered calmly.

"But that's not enough time! How do we expect to do anything in two days?"

"That's more than enough time to prepare." The redhead answered as he averted his gaze towards the projection of the leader. "Master?"

The man smiled as he leaned back, bringing his right leg to cross. "I will leave this matter to you, Ted Kasane."

* * *

"Talos was our hometown. We were born and raised in that place, all five of us. The orphanage where we grew up and which served as our home also functioned as a facility for people with Special Talents. There were many names given to it; magic, ESP, Craft and so on. We were used as test subjects, observing and noting what we were capable of."

Teto listened as she sat on the bed with full attention. Meiko observed his face, noting how he had closed his eyes while recounting the tale. She could feel the bitterness of the account from the tone of his voice, despite it sounding calm like it always had.

"Leon was the big brother in the group, then Lola acted as the big sister. Miriam, Meiko and myself were the younger children, making me feel like I was the youngest." Kaito chuckled wistfully for a moment, letting nostalgia play with him. "There were times that we enjoyed our days just like that. When you overlook the suffering brought in by those tests and procedures, those times were worth treasuring."

"Years after that, they had to isolate us from each other to conduct a different set of tests. From they way these have come by, its as if we're being turned into living weapons. To intensify the power within these abilities, they did something that we could not imagine…"

"Flow Augmentation?" Teto whispered as she rubbed her chin. "Increasing output by channeling the source from a certain element in the body. I thought that was just by theory but looking at you two, I think I say otherwise."

"They have to redirect it using aspects in our personality." Kaito nodded as he continued. "My emotions shut down and logic takes over when I use my powers. It was because of this process that Lola and Miriam…died."

A pause went on between them as he tried his best to keep himself composed.

"They weren't able to contain it. Due to it, the backflow killed them." The blue-haired youth gripped his fists as he glanced at Meiko. "And then, she was set in line to that. I've never heard from her during that time. I was the last subject to that process. I survived but I have to bear the consequences that it brought to me."

"What happened next?" the redhead asked.

"They attacked."

"Wait," Teto trailed off as her lips crooked to a frown. "According to the report, they sent in emissaries to negotiate and bring about peaceful means to the town. They've also heard of the facility and also requested that it should be shut down."

"It was far from a peaceful negotiation." Kaito said bitterly. "They went in for an all-out attack. They destroyed everything, killed anything that moved and razed Talos to the ground. We took the opportunity to escape and leave everything behind. We're the only ones that remained at that time…"

He could feel it. The sensations that dwelled on that day began to resonate in his being as the memory haunted him once again.

* * *

"_We braved the moment as we fled; dodging bullets fired by soldiers while Leon mainly cleared the path with his power. He had to bloody his hands to save us from the chaos, sparing me from any act that would take away my innocence."_

The soldiers flew from where they stood, flung by the force of the energy blast. Their bodies were torn and charred, effectively killing them. Leon continued acting as the vanguard of the duo with Kaito trailing him.

"Hurry, we're almost there…" Leon said to him, huffing as they ran.

"_The unexpected happened soon after. Fate knows we didn't see this coming."_

BOOM!

"_A stray shell struck a spot meters away from us. It didn't kill us but it was enough to throw us to the ground and stop us in our tracks. I groaned unconsciously, the concussion affecting my senses. I didn't know if I was still alive, awake or anything."_

He was flung to the side, his body conveniently concealed by the dust and the shadows. His glassy eyes could still see obscured images of his friend, whom he now treated as an older brother. Surrounded by soldiers who came in with their firearms, he had already made his move of slaying them with all his might. Leon fired at them with energy shots from his hands without giving them a chance to take their firing positions. As much as he had the upper hand, he was still overwhelmed.

A bullet struck him by the shoulder, making him stagger and turn. He managed to counterattack yet his pace slowed down. More shots were fired at him, striking his legs and arms and parts of his torso. Wounded, brought to his knees, Leon now looked at the sky with a serene smile on his face. He was prepared to die, having seen the heavens.

One of the soldiers ambled towards the dying youth. His uniform was different compared to the other soldiers, denoting his rank as an officer. Looking down at Leon's fallen state, he gave a cold stare.

"_Then I saw this soldier whip a gun out of his holster. Leon gave a smile and closed his eyes, as if he knew that his time has come. My managed to regain my focus at that time, being able to see this clearly…I wanted to do something, anything to stop him but it was too late."_

BANG!

The gunshot resounded within the confines of the avenue, taking away Leon's last breath. With the blond youth's body falling to the ground, Kaito felt the urge of screaming yet an unseen vice clamped at his jaw. He was silenced, paralyzed with fear and anguish.

"_It was as if any semblance of warmth left me. My body felt frozen, cold that every value became black and white. It was then that this curse of a power came to me."  
_

The soldiers turned to the corner, feeling the cold air that seeped from that spot. From the rubble, Kaito rose and stood still with an expression devoid of anything. Threatened by the presence, they fired their guns without the orders of their superior. It was to no avail as panels of frost materialized in an alternating manner, reacting to the gunfire as it deflected the projectiles. The cobalt-haired youth hovered from the ground in approach, his mind overwhelmed by the desire for vengeance.

A flash of white overwhelmed the area, killing everyone within immediate vicinity. The last thing he discerned were the words of his dead compatriot.

* * *

"Start anew…" Kaito murmured audibly as he reclined, exhausted by the narration. "He said to me that ice and snow fits me perfectly. He also told me to start over after that."

"So, the only survivors of the Talos Facility are you and Meiko?" Teto asked to verify to which the young man nodded.

"You better take your time to rest, Kaito." Meiko whispered as she rose from her seat. The brunette sauntered towards the door and turned back with a smile. "I suppose you can manage to sleep peacefully without those nightmares right?"

"I guess I can…" he replied as he laid back and proceeded to drift into slumber.

Meiko went ahead towards the corridor and walked on. Gazing at her right hand, now free of the metallic gauntlet, her thoughts began to dwell on her own account of the past. As much as it made sense, the memories of that time were quite bitter.

"WK-002 Zwei, Shion Kaito…and WK-003 Drei, Sakine Meiko…" she whispered as she rubbed her arm softly. "We are alone in the first place, huh?"

The thought shook her with bitter mirth, expressed merely with a soft chuckle. It somehow gave her the reason to go to her favorite pub. If Kaito can drown his worries in his object of happiness, that being ice cream, why can't she?

"So that explains why Aisu-kun likes ice cream a lot." Teto's voice made Meiko turn quickly to find the petite redhead walking beside her.

"Can you stop appearing at my blind spot?" the brunette complained to which Teto giggled at.

"I still don't know why you drink liquor a lot though."

"Well, I enjoy it since I am quite the connoisseur." Meiko bragged with a smile.

"Sounds like an excuse for an alcoholic." Teto commented.

"Says the little bread freak."

"I'm not a kid, mind you," the redhead pouted.

"I know," the brunette replied with a sigh. "Just a woman trapped in a girl's body."

"Fine, I'll treat you for a drink as long as you take care of the bread."

Both women smiled as they had come to an agreement with the bargain.

* * *

It has been a few hours before midnight when Meiko managed to reach her apartment. Having been able to drink enough to get some sleep, she mused at the details Teto shared. She proceeded to change off from her attire and end up being clad with only a nightshirt and underwear. Alone for the evening, she went to the mirror and stared at it.

_So this war is going to take place in two days? Quite hard to believe…_

Meiko turned to her nightstand as she heard the sound of her mobile phone ringing, its display flashing amidst the dim lighting. Ambling towards it, she picked it up and sat on the bed.

"Hello, Sakine Meiko speaking." She said with a low tone.

"_Meiko?" _the sound of a gentleman was heard through the earpiece. It made her smirk upon recognizing his identity.

"Kiyoteru. It's been long since you've called. I thought you've moved on and left me?"

"_Don't say that." _He sounded a bit flustered._ "I thought you're the one who moved on and ended up with a different guy."_

"Strange hearing that from a teacher." Meiko chuckled, "Besides, he's dense and I don't think I'll be able to find one just yet. So, what brought you to call me in the middle of the night?"

"_We're both busy and find ourselves being free at the evening, right? Anyway, do you think we could go out for some coffee tomorrow? I'm free at that time though I'm wondering if you are, knowing how hectic your schedule can get."_

"Well, I'm free for the whole day. They haven't made any changes and I can take it easy despite putting me on standby." She was smiling as she lay down on the bed.

"_That's good. I was hoping we could catch up. Let's meet at the usual place. Give me a call when you're free."_

_The usual place, huh? _Meiko smiled as she sighed. "Sounds good. It's nice to hear your voice again Kiyoteru dear."

"_Likewise. Sweet dreams, Meiko."_

* * *

Somewhere in another part of the city, the phone was soon turned off and brought back to its compact form. The man, now shirtless and donning only his loose pajamas, stared at the view of the city lights through his window. He felt satisfied for the night, having heard the voice that he longed to hear for a great length of time. He sighed as he averted his gaze towards the starry sky.

"It seems we have to make our move as well, Black. I'll have to go ahead and take my position."

Removing his glasses, his eyes of dark brown began to glimmer. The glass reflected a gleam of crimson as it pierced through the night.

**Time Remaining Before Renunciation: _48:00:00_**

**

* * *

Rant Corner:**

Chapter took long due to many projects in school. I managed to finish before Christmas and term finals (talking about overdue). I have nothing else to say aside from a few things. One, I might write something before the year ends (and it's not this fic. It's a one-shot). Two, I might update a little later than expected since there's a fic requested of me (and it's not Vocaloid though).

Well, that's all with Kaito's side and this chapter. Next up is Meiko's side.

See you on the next update

Sydney Grise


	6. SECHS: Dunkelheit

**Paranoid Doll: Renunciation**

_Disclaimer: Vocaloid belongs to Yamaha, along with Crypton, AHS, Internet Co. etc. The only thing I own is the plot._

_A/N: This update also took a while to assemble due to school having started last week. Despite that, I tried my best to update. If some of you are on Summer Break, good for you. Here's the update, enjoy._

**SECHS: Dunkelheit (Darkness)**

Tedious. Mechanical. Time-bound.

Figures garbed with white lab suits continued to toil within the facility, following procedures as they prepared for today's task. The consoles have begun starting up, loading the programs required for the operation at hand.

**Loading Paradigm Scripts...**

**Preparing Pathos Circuitry...**

**Loading Conversion and Awakening Program...**

**Preparations Complete.**

**Project: APPEND ver 2.0**

"Sir, preparations for the program are complete," the operator on one of the consoles called out to his superior.

"Good," the Chief Operator, known to have hidden his cold and stern gaze with his thick glasses, replied in approval, "Get the subjects ready. We will start the Conversion Procedure."

As soon as the command was given, the glass window revealed the other side of the room as a number of lights filled the area. Luminous cables and circuits were seen as they surrounded the whole room, all of them flowing towards a row of large capsules of glass and steel. The tint of the encasings seemed to blur out what was within until it that changed. Somewhere on the upper portion of the capsules, the blurring cleared up to reveal the faces of the subjects.

There were two of them present in that room, each placed in their respective capsules. With eyes closed in a deep sleep, the lab workers found ease in their work as they worked on the procedure. The Chief Operator said nothing as he only continued working on his job, despite the conscience nudging him about this matter.

'They're only children...but we have no choice...'

* * *

"Kiyoteru, good morning," Meiko greeted him with a cheerful demeanor as she took a seat by the table that the gentleman was seated. "I hope you haven't been waiting too long."

"Oh, you don't have to worry about that," Kiyoteru chuckled as his companion took a seat. He couldn't help but watch her. She wore a red T-shirt and a slim pair of jeans along with a pair of doll shoes to complete the getup. It must have been long since he last saw her, making him note about how she seemed to be quite attractive, or even better.

His eyes seemed to have been fixed on her before he was noticed. But before she could say anything, the waiter soon came in with two plates filled with waffles and bacon strips. He noted how Meiko was surprised about the whole thing. "I kinda took the liberty of ordering the same thing for the both of us."

"Thanks," the brunette smiled at the dark-haired gentleman. "Seems like you haven't lost your touch."

"Well, how can I ever forget?" he smiled in a brief moment.

He relaxed for a moment before going for his meal. He went for a casual look for once, wearing a black long-sleeved shirt and a pair of jeans due to the weather. He also wore a Celtic cross pendant, something that he had been using since his high school days. It was an accessory that caught Meiko's attention easily.

"So, you still have that thing that I gave you." Meiko noted as she took on a bite-sized chunk of the waffle.

Kiyoteru reached for his neck and let his fingers touch the piece of jewelry. "Oh, this one? I can't really let go of it."

"You're quite sentimental, you know that?"

"I guess I can take that as a complement." Kiyoteru took his cup of coffee and started taking a sip. Meiko continued taking a few bites, and then took a pause as she gave a good look at the gentleman. He took notice of this, making him lower his cup on the table. "Something on your mind?"

"You looked quite handsome today since I last saw you." Meiko gave a playful grin with the compliment.

"Eh?"

"I'm quite surprised that you don't have a girlfriend even after having the looks that lure enough young girls, especially your students."

"Here you go again," Kiyoteru sighed, "I can guess that Kaito had a hard time bearing with your antics."

"Well, he's being dense and I prefer doing that," Meiko snickered while taking defense on the statement. "You, on the other hand, are also dense with girls. Especially those fangirls of yours that gather in the class back when we were studying."

"Well, being dense and just ignoring them for self-preservation are two different things," Kiyoteru began spreading the margarine on the waffle before pouring some of the maple syrup. "Especially when I'm saving myself for someone rather special."

"Picky much? This is coming from the prude that I torture years ago..."

The black-haired man winced upon hearing that. He couldn't help but remember that scenario. "Oh please...not that."

* * *

"_In the expanses of the sky, in my memories floating by_

_The two of us even now smile as we dance_

_In these arms that tell the end of the long night_

_I want to hold you as you sleep."_

_Kiyoteru was reclined on the divan inside the dorm's common area. He was the only one present on that very hour. Relishing the moment of silence that covered the whole room, he continued to hum the melody of the lyrics as he read through the lines printed on the piece of paper that he was holding._

"_Kiyo-kuuuuun." That feminine voice was rather sultry that it sent chills down his spine. Kiyoteru lowered the lyric sheets that he was holding, only to find himself staring at a pair of russet-shaded eyes. Trying to keep himself calm, he slowly responded._

"_Meiko, what are you up to this time?" he asked calmly, keeping his composure though his face was betraying him with a visible flush._

_The brunette gave a playful smirk as she began inching her way towards the divan, her body now creeping closer to him. He could hear his heart race for that moment, his hand that rested on the side was clawing on the cushion for control._

"_Come on, Kiyo-kun. No one's here, right?" she started with a purr as she crawled in even closer. "We have the place to ourselves now. Wouldn't that be fun?"_

"_W-what're you making me do this time?" he stuttered while keeping his voice down. He could even feel her breath graze his skin. Soon, he found his glasses being taken away from him._

"_Oh, you look hot without those glasses." Meiko cooed as she began to close in dangerously. A little more and their lips would brush each other. "Now I can't resist _eating_ you."_

_The dark-haired youth had no clue as to what he should do. His mind was racing. What if someone comes barging in and they are seen? What if she suddenly pulls back and turns out that she's joking? What if she's serious and she wants him to be taken here and then? Does he even have a say about this? He just had too many questions that he ended up feeling paralyzed with the whole situation._

_She didn't care at all. She took it further as her kiss claimed his lips. She closed her eyes while her hands were planted on his shoulders, keeping him down. It took a number of seconds before she pulled back to see what his reaction was. A smile came to her lips, satisfied upon seeing a startled Kiyoteru blushing madly while giving her a fogged gaze. It was rather priceless._

_Then a thud was heard on the floor._

_The pair turned to look towards the entrance, seeing a purple-haired youth staring at them. On his feet were his books that fell off his hands in shock. One of Kiyoteru's worries was realized._

"_Oh, am I interrupting something?" the young man asked after shuffling to get to picking up the books on the floor. He chuckled as he was done, "I should leave you alone then. Just be sure not be seen by the others in that position."_

_Having said his peace, he took his leave and made his way towards the male section of the dormitory. Meiko chuckled with mischief afterwards._

"_That was fun, don't you think, Kiyo-kun?" she turned to check on the young man to see him in a dazed state, as if he was in a state of catatonia. Tapping her chin playfully with a finger, she made another comment. "I think I overdid it. He's good as broken."_

* * *

"Well, you have to admit that it was exhilarating, right?" Meiko defended as she took another bite with the bacon and waffle.

"Now I have you to blame after that." Kiyoteru took a sip once more from his coffee, his face looking a bit stern now.

"Eh?" Meiko soon leaned forward. "And why is that?"

A sigh left his lips as he set the utensils on the table. "I can't help but want for more from that point on."

* * *

The sound of clockwork continued to echo within the room as Black raised a gloved hand towards the reflective surface of the Scrying Mirror, something that was created for the being to take a glance at the worlds outside this rusted domain. The image of Rin began to appear before the entity as it revealed the interior of the chamber where the girl's body was contained. The glass capsule had her encased in it while luminous wires and cables were attached to the vat. She appeared to have been in deep slumber but this faint aura that was seeping out from her took a hold of the being. Its as if she was calling Black out of the Clockwork Hall.

Black's hands were trembling as the being held fast to the frame of the Scrying Mirror. With a hushed voice, a declaration was raised.

"Rin, hold on…" Black raised a vow. "I am coming for you…I promise. Wait for me."

The rippling of the mirror's surface was the only evidence of its other purpose. Black slipped through the makeshift portal, leaving the Clockwork Hall behind. As soon as the being was gone, the gears have stopped. There was no reason for the hall to continue its pace.

* * *

Meiko was relishing the moment as she sped through the curves of the mountain route. It's been a while since she had made a time attack through that area. Kiyoteru was seated beside her, calm while enjoying the pace that she was working with as he held the stopwatch. It was one of their routines together when she first got her car and this itself gave both a run with nostalgia. This was one of the few things that they have been doing together, making the dark-haired gentleman feel wistful at this point.

The brunette made her last curve as they reached the peak of the mountain route. She brought the car to drift and stop; Kiyoteru pressed the stop button on his stopwatch by reflex. Both of them took a deep breath as Meiko rolled the windows down to let in some fresh air.

"Nice one…Meiko," Kiyoteru handed her the stopwatch for the driver to see. "You've set a new record once again.

"It's a couple of seconds away from my last record." Meiko replied as she removed her seatbelt. "The last record was…"

"From that run before we parted ways." He answered as he closed his eyes. The memory of that moment was rather bitter that it would be better to keep away from it. He did what he can to let the whole memory pass him. Unbuckling the seatbelt, he opened the door and stepped off the car.

The cool air brushed against his skin as the view of the city came to view. Kiyoteru was in awe upon seeing it. He noted the memory that resurfaced associated with this exact spot he was standing on. Breathing deeply, he turned around and saw Meiko lean on the car. It was time that he asked her.

"By the way, Meiko, were you able to remember anything about your past?" Kiyoteru asked as he slipped his hands into the pockets of his jeans. He noticed her expression lose its jolly tone as it drifted into pondering. Silence came between them as the wind passed through.

"Somehow…but it wasn't that much," her voice held a low tone while letting her hands rest on the car's side. "The only thing I could remember was the time when I started living with Haku as her roommate."

The gentleman was silent, keeping his thoughts to himself. It is likely that something was suppressing her thoughts and memories in this manner. It would hold things back as he expected it to happen if it was a source of trauma. Repressed memories are sometimes hard to regain and he was sure about this fact. Pushing his glasses up to realign, he heard Meiko speak out once more.

"Although there was a vague dream that I had last night." The woman raised her head a bit and smiled. "Never thought it would be after the time that you called. I'm not sure if it was related to anything but if you want to hear about it—"

"Please," Kiyoteru assured her, "By all means, tell me."

"Alright then." Meiko straightened herself as she did what she can to recall every detail.

"I dreamed about being inside a dark room. I was inside some capsule that was made of glass and something else…it was slightly open. At that time, I reached for it and tried to push it open."

"Did you manage to open it?" Kiyoteru asked.

"Yes, nearly without effort. I had blurry vision, though I'm not sure if it happens in dreams, but when my eyesight was beginning to clear up, I found myself surrounded with machines. Computers and strange wires that seemed to have been destroyed along with the debris from the room, the whole place must've been nearly demolished or something. At any case, it was just totally out of shape.

"So, I tried getting up. I found myself dressed in some sort of body-fitting suit with glowing lines all over it. There wasn't much lighting provided inside, except for a sizable hole on the upper corner of the wall. I did all I can to get out of that place, since there was nothing for me there. I climbed out of this wrecked place. I was having a hard time crawling out but I did what I can to reach the surface. And then…"

Meiko's pause was rather long that usual. Kiyoteru couldn't help but take notice.

"And then, what?"

"I felt a hand grab my wrist, pulling me out of that place. I only managed to see a shadow since the light was too blinding. I couldn't see his face but his hand was there to get me out of that wreckage. That's where the dream ended."

Kiyoteru rubbed his chin as he processed the information. The silence that soon took over seemed awkward for Meiko, now that she began to feel rather uneasy.

"Well, don't mind it. I can bet it doesn't make any sense to you anyway." She rambled as she stood erect and began stretching her arms upward. "Though thanks for listening. I just wanted to get that off my chest."

"No problem, Meiko. I'll always be here to listen." He replied as his voice died down. He had his own sentiment, something that made his chest tighten for a moment. _I'll always be here, even though I'm wailing inside with all the cracks that you've left behind._

"_Oh, now what do we have here? A pair of lovebirds enjoying a lazy afternoon?"_

The pair was startled from the voice that resounded. Both have felt the air grow cold while the clouds began to cover the sun. Their surroundings began to dim, making Kiyoteru note that their eyesight was not being compromised. Meiko immediately sprung into a heightened state of awareness, being more cautious with what's around her.

"_Let's play a game, shall we? I'd love to entertain myself when I see people going lovey-dovey that it makes me want to tear them apart."_

Meiko brought her left hand to grasp at her right forearm, tightening her grip as she began to concentrate. Kiyoteru smirked as he felt the air tense once more, noting that something was about to come. His suspicion came true when certain points within their surroundings began to warp and distort, swirling as it brought out of its rift winged creatures. They have the same properties as the Geist that Meiko have previously encountered, telltale signs were the gleaming lines that surrounded their limbs and points of their bodies. However, they appear to have monstrous fangs and elongated snouts with eyes gleaming with crimson, unlike the faceless variants that seemed more humanoid than this. Kiyoteru had only one choice for the matter.

"Meiko, let's go." Kiyoteru yelled as he grabbed her hand and dragged her along with him. Meiko was shaken out of her concentration. She couldn't stop him as he dashed towards the woods nearby to shake them off.

"Kiyo-kun, what the hell are you doing?" she yelled while her feet continued its pace, running to be able to prevent herself from stumbling.

"Isn't it obvious? We're fleeing from those things." Kiyoteru replied as he continued to heave and pant.

"Would you just stop at this instant?" Meiko yanked her hand back, making her stumble back. Kiyoteru had already stopped running after feeling that violent jerk that made him let go. Having landed on her butt, Meiko grimaced for a moment before standing up.

"Seriously, this running is quite passé. Last time you did this, we were running from dogs. On another occasion, we're running from our classmates who are basically rabid fangirls and fanboys. Seriously, I've had enough of you pulling me around to run."

The bespectacled gentleman began rubbing his forehead. "I can't believe you're doing this. What do you expect us to do? Fight those things?"

"Well, we have no choice now, do we?" Meiko barked back at him.

"I know you're crazy and such back in the day. This, however, is borderline insanity."

The two of them stopped and fell quiet as they heard the tree branches rustle violently. Snapping into alert, Meiko whipped her hand towards the tree. In response, the area exploded as black soot sizzled upward into the air while sending splinters and singed leaves in an outward spread. Kiyoteru caught sight of her right hand, now covered with a metallic gauntlet. He now knew the reason why.

"That's why you're tired of running away." Kiyoteru remarked in monotone. Meiko noticed how cold his voice sounded that it made her cringe for a moment.

"What do you mean?"

One of the winged creatures from before made its dive towards Meiko. Her back was turned and was completely open to attack. Kiyoteru noticed the situation and pulled her hand by instinct. With a forceful yank, he pulled her close to him, avoiding the creature's lance by mere inches. As the pole arm struck the ground, the gentleman whipped his leg upwards in a kick, launching the creature backward to collide on a tree.

Before they can gain a chance to talk, a few more branches rustled. The creatures were gaining on them and fast. Kiyoteru knew that now would be a good time to run.

"Meiko, let's get moving before they gain on us," Kiyoteru reasoned. "The further we go into the woods, the easier it is for you to shoot them down."

The brunette couldn't help but shake her head. She never thought that Kiyoteru would be calm after seeing that. Somehow, she was thankful for it.

* * *

The sirens blared as the security alarm had raised its warning. The halls bore signs of struggle as notable cracks, burn marks and bullet holes were present on its walls and floor along with a few guards and security personnel lying down on the ground incapacitated. Further inside, sounds of gunfire echoed throughout the area before unintelligible shouting took over.

Those within the Append Facility began to panic upon seeing how the doors to their lab have been forced open. The lab personnel began to run away from the person dressed in black. Raising its hand, the glass rippled before it held fine cracks. In a split second, the glass shattered into miniscule fragments as it fell to the shiny floor. There were those who dared to stop him, three of them among the researchers. They rushed bravely, intent on tackling the stranger to pin it to submission. An unseen force began to hinder them with heavy pressure as it halted them in mid-motion. The stranger with the black dress passed them by. As soon as he was through, the pressure forced the trio down to the floor. The people in the facility had fled from the area.

The blond stranger reached the portion of the facility where the glass capsules are contained. It began to make its search, passing by the empty capsules and vats occupied by those subjected to the processing. Soon, its steps came to a halt as the stranger stood before one capsule. This one appeared to be a recent addition. Gazing with an azure eye (for the other was covered with its lace band), it gazed upon the subject within it in utter intrigue.

Inside this particular was a young girl, bearing blond hair of neck-length. Her face seemed to have a close resemblance to the stranger, marking its black lips at the slightest.

"Rin, I've found you at last." The being whispered as it laid its gloved hand on the glass capsule. "I've come as promised. Now, to set you free."

The capsule began to ripple in the same manner as the glass panels from earlier. Unlike the previous ones, this began to crumble into fine dust. Now free from the binds that held her in place, Rin's unconscious body fell forward to be caught within the stranger's waiting arms. The being cradled her gently, keeping her secure within its arms. A satisfied sigh left its lips now that its goal was attained.

"Stop." A young man's voice rang within earshot, making the stranger turn around slowly to take a look at the newcomer. There stood a blue-haired man, dressed in a white T-shirt and a pair of tattered jeans, gasping for breath as it stood by the door of the facility. The being could sense the newcomer's aura, noting it to be cold as ice. With a wary gaze, the stranger stood still while anticipating his next move.

"Who are you? Where are you taking her?" the bluehead yelled, demanding an answer.

"I am taking her away…" the stranger replied. Soon, the shadows on its foothold began to slither as black tendrils swirled upward. Kaito raised his hand for cover and tried to stand his ground as immense pressure in the form of a powerful gust rushed towards him.

"You haven't answered my question!"

"Imitation Black."

The black swirls grew thick and in an instant, nothing was left. Kaito didn't manage to catch a trace of the stranger nor of Rin. He couldn't believe that this was happening. Just then, a hissing of the radio caught his ears as he reached for the earpiece that he had equipped.

"_Kaito-san, what's the status?"_ the female voice on his earpiece rang in question.

"Sorry, Neru, I didn't manage to stop it. This stranger calling itself Imitation Black managed to get away with Rin."

"_It kidnapped one of our subjects? Sheesh! Fine, report to the Commander's office. We better let him know."_

"Roger that."

* * *

Another blast took another winged creature down, making it sizzle into black soot and left nothing else. Meiko had shot down what may be the last of those hordes. If it were not for Kiyoteru's quick thinking, they would've been caught dead at that moment. She couldn't help but be thankful of his judgment. At that point, the brunette leaned on the tree, feeling rather exhausted after sniping and making potshots of the creatures with her blast attacks. The dark-haired gentleman couldn't help but take notice it.

"Told you so." Kiyoteru said casually as he leaned on the same tree, taking a spot beside her.

"I have to admit it made things easier," Meiko smiled wearily as she found this a good chance to ask, "Seriously, how come you were able to keep calm and think of something like that? I know you're quite good at analyzing the situation but I haven't met anyone who can do that in a pinch like that."

"So, you're saying that me being level-headed in that situation is above normal?"

"No," she shook her head, "I mean, come on. The only ones I know that are like that are soldiers or those who are always subject to heavy stress. Even if there are others who can, there are a few."

"_Shall I tell her your secret now, Hiyama Kiyoteru?" _the voice echoed, this time it bore a mocking tone. The man couldn't take it any longer.

"Damn you, just show yourself." Kiyoteru yelled with ire.

A distortion began to manifest on the area by the trees before them. From the rift, a figure began to materialize. This being was clad in a black tunic with gold trimmings on the hem and sleeves while sporting a pair of black trousers and shoes of leather. A flowing cape was placed on top of his apparel as it flowed down his back. With brown hair flaring outwards at the level of his neck and eyes that gleamed with crimson, the being wore a twisted smile as he looked down at the two.

"How did you like my game, Hiyama Kiyoteru, my dear puppet?" he snickered then gave a pregnant pause. "Or should I say…Guilty Verse?"

"Malice, the Duke of Misery." Kiyoteru growled as he took a step forward. "This foolish game was your doing all along."

"Call it a parting gift before you can go scat free." Malice jested. "After all, it won't be long before everything falls apart, right?"

Meiko was downright confused with this situation. Not only that, she never expected that Kiyoteru held such a dark secret in him. So many things loomed in her head that she wanted to clear out with him. It would be a good time to interrogate him now but does she have the strength to do so? She noticed Kiyoteru looking at her with his back turned, telling her something though her body was making it hard to perceive what it was.

"Meiko, I'll tell you everything when this is over with." Kiyoteru assured before walking further away from her.

"So, now that I have your attention. Do you intend to come back to me or do you want her to die before your eyes?" Malice asked as he jumped, making a pirouette in his movement before landing to the ground. "Though regardless, I can be sure you'll still suffer a lot."

"Well, you're crossing the line with that." Kiyoteru's growl was now deep, dripping with wrath as he reached for his glasses. His eyes began to glimmer with crimson, revealing a glimpse of the power within him. "Your games are going to end here."

"Oh well, I suppose I can arrange that but not today. I still can't touch you." Malice jested once more. He raised his fingers and gave a loud snap. The ground beneath him began to crumble, as what came out of it was a Black Golem. Along with it, a battalion of faceless minions materialized from the rifts that formed before it vanished. Kiyoteru was effectively outnumbered. "So, play with my toys for now. Soon, you can play with me…if you survive, that is."

The Duke of Misery launched himself into the air, twirling once more before evanescing into the expanse. Kiyoteru was left without a choice. He had to protect Meiko from all of them, now that she was rather tired from the battle. He reached from his coat pocket, taking out three cards in one grasp. His mind had begun with the channeling and concentration as his eyes skimmed through the targets.

"Three winged Wraiths, fifteen faceless Ghouls, and one Black Golem." Kiyoteru thought as he took one card. "I only need three moves."

The three winged creatures rushed to him in attack. Seeing that this would happen, the card that he had in hand gleamed with energy as he launched it upward. The card soon caught fire and ignited as from its flames released four white wisps. These wisps rushed to counter their targets, piercing through their bodies and then went back to deliver another blow. It circled and rammed, landing a number of strikes before dissipating, leaving numerous puncture wounds on the creatures' hapless bodies before they crumble into black soot. Kiyoteru didn't waste any moment in watching the effect of the spell as he concentrated again, raising another card to play.

It was at this point that he noticed the faceless monsters have made their advance. The distance they have covered was already half and it would take sheer timing to stop them in one go. The card shimmered and soon ignited, burning away with a bright light. A shockwave rushed outward from the card and caught the incoming monsters. Their bodies glimmered and soon, they exploded simultaneously. Out from their bodies, however, were white wisps of energy that shot upward before gathering into Kiyoteru's body. Now, this left him with the last card and before him stood the Black Golem.

Knowing that the Golem's weak point was its core, he had worked out how the card would function to his favor. He needed something that would pierce through the armor. The card was soon set to play, glimmering with power along with the added potency of the energy gathered earlier. Raising his hand, two large spheres began to materialize. Gleaming with vermillion and obsidian, the aura that it bore was similar to fire and molten earth. The Golem had made its attack as it sent its arms to shoot out towards him, now that he was stationary with the channeling. Kiyoteru couldn't falter with that moment; he can't afford to do that now.

Before the hostile projectiles reached him, they have exploded and were reduced to rubble. Kiyoteru didn't need to look back to see who it was that covered him. Now that the spell was complete, he knew one thing was needed.

"Blazing Emblem, Meteor Fire." He commanded as the two spherical objects were launched.

One of them shattered the hard exterior upon impact, exposing the core inside. The other made its mark as it shattered both the core and the rest of the torso. With the core holding the Golem together was shattered, its body began to disintegrate into smoke, vanishing into the expanse until nothing was left.

Finally, Kiyoteru can breathe easy now that there's nothing that would interrupt them. He turned around and saw Meiko, down on the ground while her back continued to lean on the tree. He smiled at her, knowing that her weariness was his evidence with her sudden cover fire. Without a word, he hoisted her into his arms and began walking out of the woods.

* * *

"Kiyo-kun." Meiko called him as she was seated in her car, this time on the passenger side.

"What is it, Meiko?" Kiyoteru kept his eyes on the road while cruising on their way back to the city.

"What did he mean by Guilty Verse? You never told me that you're also a Magus, that you have Power like I do."

"It was a decision that I made years ago. It's a long time but that man, Malice…he took me in as his protégé. He said that I have dormant power within me." Kiyoteru explained as he reached for the gear stick, shifting for a higher gear to go faster. "He wanted me to be his successor, to inherit his power. Though I know that it would also mean that he would possess my body, I went on with it until I have learned and gained much to fight back. That's when I turned my back on him…and Sephirah."

"Sephirah?" Meiko's eyes widened, "You mean…"

"The same Sephirah that declared war on everything." Kiyoteru bitterly smiled as he continued driving.

"If that's the case…drive us back to the Agency's headquarters." Meiko urged him as she leaned her head on the car seat.

"Just tell me the directions."

* * *

**Rant Corner:**

For this rant corner to be totally a rant corner, time I rant about something.

Let's start with the bad ones. Whew, school can really be evil. Right now, the fact that I have a class that involves Communication Research is screwing up my thoughts. I'm letting my energy be diverted into trying to explain culture and communication and how it relates to each other. To think that it would take me a whole term in this is just...plain...ANNOYING! Well, enough of that, I bet there's more of that angst for students. I better love it if I'm going to pass it.

On another end, I never thought I'd be writing a chapter longer than the rest. Whew. But I have to make more outlines next time and get going with writing chapters in a single day...or two. This chapter took me ages. T.T

Now on the good side. First, GACKT's new single will be released on July. I never expected Episode 0 and Paranoid Doll are going to be sung by Maoh-sama himself (yep, that's what other fans call GACKT). I already heard his rendition of Episode 0. Now I can't wait for Paranoid Doll. Still have a number of weeks before that so...patience.

The Meiko side of the story is quite heavy on development. I can say that putting her and Kiyoteru together was a challenge. Then again, things are stepping up. The lyrics that Kiyoteru sung during the flash back was from Bel Aire/Verte Aile by Malice Mizer (I used a translation of the last chorus for this since there's a cover of the song out there though titled differently).

Meiko and Kaito side are done. Finally, on the next update, we go back to Luka and Gakupo (though I bet you're curious as to what happens to Rin.) Stay tuned and I hope to see you guys again.

Sydney Grise


End file.
